TODAY”S DATA POINT: In the July 8-10 poll of 1,988 registered voters the pharma industry was the subject of intense ire. Three in 4 voters say they have little or no confidence in drug companies to reduce costs; over half say they don’t trust pharmaceutical companies at all.
Continue reading
KEY THOUGHT: While offering all U.S. citizens free health care using a single-payer system sounds attractive as a political talking point, actually implementing Medicare for All would require a complex restructuring of a multi-trillion dollar industry and cost trillions of dollars. Rather than make promises that don’t make sense politicians should strengthen the ACA and fix its shortfalls.
Continue reading
KEY TAKEAWAY: The public sees profits made by pharmaceutical companies as a major factor contributing to the price of prescription drugs. Majorities of the public trust pharmaceutical companies (either “a lot” or “somewhat”) to be good stewards in terms of developing new effective drugs (71 percent), and offering reliable information to consumers about drug safety and side effects (65 percent) as well as drug efficacy (61 percent).
Continue reading
KEY TAKEAWAY: As it appears that the criticism of drug prices from politicians and the President has quieted down, companies are more aggressively and broadly pursuing drug price increases again.
Continue reading
KEY TAKEAWAY: Trump’s threat to issue an executive order on drug pricing, if issued, will be overturned as “unconstitutional”. There are no quick fixes to rein on excessive healthcare costs. They can only be addressed through a thorough bipartisan review of the way our healthcare system function.
Continue reading
KEY TAKEAWAY: Anger over healthcare costs is not going to lead to workable solutions yet the media is generating anger via headlines that fail to adequately communicate the complexity and greed that has become the American healthcare system.
Continue reading
KEY TAKEAWAY: The current economic cost of unpaid family care is about $67 billion and includes reduced work hours and foregone earnings for Americans 20 to 64 years old who take time off from their jobs to help a loved one manage serious medical issues. This is based on population demographics and wage data from 2013.
Continue reading
