(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Liz Helms, Founder and Director of the Chronic Care Policy Alliance (CCPA), issued the following statement in response to the announcement of the next list of medications subject to Medicare Drug Price Negotiations:
“CMS has unveiled the list of 15 medications included in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (MDPNP) under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a decision with significant implications for individuals living with chronic conditions. While the effort to lower drug costs through MDPNP reflects an important focus on affordability, CCPA has not supported its implementation and remains concerned about the unintended consequences these measures could have on access to care and treatments.
As a new policy, the MDPNP’s long-term impact is not yet fully understood. We urge Congress to carefully evaluate the program’s outcomes before expanding its scope, accelerating timelines, or extending negotiated prices to the commercial market. A measured, evidence-based approach is essential to ensure patients are not adversely affected by untested processes.
As we approach a transition in federal leadership, we are hopeful that the incoming administration will take a collaborative, patient-first approach that focuses on reforms that will more directly benefit patients, such as PBM reform. Healthcare policies should not be made ‘about us, without us’ – patients must have a seat at the table and have their voices heard.”
About Chronic Care Policy Alliance
The Chronic Care Policy Alliance (CCPA) works with state and regional chronic care policy networks to further good public policy on behalf of patients with chronic illnesses. Learn more by visiting chroniccarealliance.org or following CCPA on Facebook and Twitter.