Employers Coalition Takes Up Drug Price Transparency, Price Caps

​Healthpayer Intelligence, Xtelligent Healthcare Media
Employers Rx Will Lobby Against PBMs and Drug Manufacturers Over Price Transparency, Fair Business Practices, Rebates, and a Drug Price Increase Cap

When it comes to lowering skyrocketing drug prices, employers are making their voices heard on drug price transparency, drug price increase caps, and other price reducing strategies through the new coalition Employers' Prescription for Affordable Drugs(EmployersRx).

The coalition comprises health advocate groups including the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH), the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), and the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (National Alliance). Together, the organizations plan to advocate for lowering drug prices and promoting price transparency.

“As the largest collective purchaser of health care, businesses have a responsibility to employees and their families to tackle this important issue,” said Elizabeth Mitchell, president and chief executive officer of PBGH. “Employers and patients are tired of bearing the brunt of high costs caused by a gamed system set up by drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers. Employers are doing everything they can to contain costs, but this problem is too big to fix without action from the government.”

To the coalition, drug manufacturers and middlemen like pharmacy benefit managers are the source of high drug costs. Thus, their four-pronged legislative approach to de-escalating drug prices focuses exclusively on those stakeholders.
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