HIMSSCast: Untangling the complex web of US drug pricing
Capital Rx CEO A.J. Loiacono tells us why drug prices are so complex and opaque, and what can be done about them.
Photoillustration: Jonah Comstock
Drug prices are a major topic of conversation these days as the Biden administration grapples with federal options for mitigating what many see as out of control costs for specialty drugs. To put some context to the news, HIMSSCast host Jonah Comstock and Healthcare Finance News Managing Editor Susan Morse welcome A.J. Loiacono, CEO of Capital Rx, to the show to talk a bit about why drug pricing is the way it is and what can be done.
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Talking points:
- Why are drug prices so poorly defined for doctors and patients?
- Capital Rx's market-efficiency hypothesis.
- How Capital Rx operates and negotiates lower prices.
- Why rebates are a part of drug pricing.
- What the government can and should do to affect drug pricing.
- Drug pricing needs to be transparent and consistent.
- Why U.S. prices affect global pharma companies, and vice versa.
- Who benefits from drug pricing inflation?
- Could startups reduce drug prices the way Robinhood reduced investment costs?
More about this episode:
Linking U.S. prescription drug prices to those paid in other nations could cut costs in half
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra releases proposal to lower prescription drug costs
PhRMA battles Biden on proposal for Medicare to negotiate drug prices
Biden pushes for lower drug prices in $3.5 trillion budget proposal
Govs. Chris Christie and Terry McAuliffe trade jabs at HIMSS21
