Stemming the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs
Authors: Sue S. Bornstein, Thomas G. Cooney
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2020)

Letters21 April 2020Stemming the Escalating Costs of Prescription DrugsSue S. Bornstein, MD and Thomas G. Cooney, MDSue S. Bornstein, MDTexas Medical Home Initiative, Dallas, Texas (S.S.B.)Search for more papers by this author and Thomas G. Cooney, MDOregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon (T.G.C.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L20-0111 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We agree with Mr. Katz that fundamental reform is needed to address the complex and opaque pricing mechanisms that underlie the U.S. health system and are responsible for rising prescription drug prices. High consumer prices often pose a barrier to adherence to recommended treatment plans and in turn result in the development of more serious health issues, declines in quality of life, and added financial strain on the nation's health system.As emphasized in this and previous position papers (1, 2), the American College of Physicians believes that transparency in the pricing, cost, and comparative value of all ...References1. Daniel H; Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians. Stemming the escalating cost of prescription drugs. A position paper of the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2016;165:50-2. [PMID: 27018758]. doi:10.7326/M15-2768 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Daniel H, Bornstein SS; Health Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians. Policy recommendations for public health plans to stem the escalating costs of prescription drugs. A position paper from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2019;172:825-7. [PMID: 31711137]. doi:10.7326/M19-0013 LinkGoogle Scholar3. Fincher JW. Letter to Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services. 8 April 2019. Accessed at www.acponline.org/acp_policy/letters/acp_comments_hhs_oig_aks_pbm_rebates_part_d_proposed_rule_2019.pdf on 6 February 2020. Google Scholar4. CMS Office of the Actuary. Proposed Safe Harbor Regulation. August 2018. Accessed at www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Research/ActuarialStudies/Downloads/ProposedSafeHarborRegulationImpact.pdf on 6 February 2020. Google Scholar5. Bell D, Carioto J, Hayes M. Impact of potential changes to the treatment of manufacturer and pharmacy rebates. Milliman. September 2018. Accessed at http://careers.milliman.com/insight/2019/An-end-to-manufacturer-rebates-as-we-know-them-today/?lng=1041 on 6 February 2020. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Texas Medical Home Initiative, Dallas, Texas (S.S.B.)Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon (T.G.C.)Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M19-0035. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoPolicy Recommendations for Pharmacy Benefit Managers to Stem the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians Hilary Daniel , Sue S. Bornstein , and Stemming the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs Paul Katz Metrics 21 April 2020Volume 172, Issue 8Page: 574-575KeywordsDisclosureDrug pricesDrug regulationDrugsHealth careLegislationMotivationQuality of lifeTreatment guidelines ePublished: 21 April 2020 Issue Published: 21 April 2020 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2020 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...