'Who Would Get The Money?': Senator Ted Cruz Explores New Bill That Could End Up Raising Healthcare Prices
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr At today's Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) questioned witnesses about a new bill that would affect drug prices in the US. During a Senate Commerce Committee meeting, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) questioned witnesses about a new bill that would affect drug prices in the US. Cruz opened by welcoming the witnesses and noting the presence of four doctors. He went on to discuss the potential trade-offs associated with the bill, particularly when it comes to government regulation, which he warned can create compliance costs and barriers to entry for competitors. The bill in question would impose contractual disclosure requirements, requiring Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to share data on how much they pay providers and manufacturers for each drug, and it would also prohibit practices like clawbacks and spread pricing. Cruz asked Dr. Mulligan whether the bill's requirements could lead to more or less consolidation...