A Quick Curve Highlights Another 340B Lawsuit and Near-Term Prospects for PBM Reform

There is just enough news here for a quick Cost Curve. I worry if I don’t put a marker down, it’ll all be swamped by the nice time I’m in your inbox (which should be Monday). 

• And then there were four: BMS wants to move to a rebate model in 340B, and it has sued HRSA to make that a reality. Bloomberg Law has the details, and the filing is a (relatively) quick read for those who want to go deep. They join Lilly and J&J in taking the legal route. Sanofi continues to push forward with implementation without a lawsuit. Yet. 

• Politico is raising questions about what will happen to PBM reform in the lame duck. Obviously, sooner is better than later, but it feels like this should be a slam dunk even if it gets pushed to the next Congress. A bipartisan effort that generates payfors and targets “big business” should be real attractive. 

• KFF has a deep dive into exit polling data out of the election. Most of it focuses on what still feels a paradox in voting patterns on abortion, but it’s the bit about prices at the bottom that’s probably most relevant to this newsletter. Fifty-four percent of Americans were “very concerned” about health care costs. The poll didn’t break down exactly where that concern flowed from (premiums? cost-sharing? drug prices?), but it’s a sign that the blame game over high health care costs isn’t going anywhere. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving. Pass the stuffing.