AHIP, Spurred By CMS' Drug Spending Projections, Repeats Call For Lower Prices

Health plans, spurred by CMS actuaries' new projections of increased drug spending growth, are again calling on the pharmaceutical industry to lower specialty drug prices. The actuaries, as part of broader health spending estimates released Sept. 3, said prescription drug spending will increase from 3.3 percent last year to 6.8 percent this year, primarily because the ACA's expanded coverage took effect this year and the newly insured are taking more prescription drugs, but the actuaries also attribute some of the...