Drug Price Control: How Some Government Programs Do It
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<p>Drug pricing is having its moment. Opinions differ on whether the federal government should do more but, in fact, certain public programs already employ a number of effective tools for reducing the prices of drugs they purchase. </p><p>On “To the Point,” The Commonwealth Fund’s David Blumenthal, M.D., and David Squires review current approaches to prescription drug pricing—and discuss pricing changes proposed for Medicare Part B.</p>
<p>“The bottom line is that the government can and does get better deals on drugs than private purchasers,” the authors say. “The effects of these policies on quality and innovation need to be better understood—but were the government to expand them, it would be more of an evolution than a revolution.”</p>