Grassley spearheading bipartisan Medicaid reform

Speaking of right-leaning politicians and pricing: In a new First Opinion, Sen. Chuck Grassley writes that improving transparency in Medicaid is the key to getting more affordable health care to Americans. Specifically, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee is concerned about preventing the program from being “milked dry by its spending on prescription drugs.”

His concern is that the projected use of high-cost specialty drugs will make Medicaid spending untenable: It was $29 billion in 2017, and would undoubtedly increase substantially if nothing changes.

“The way things are going, rising prescription drug costs are defying gravitational market forces that help rein in costs to keep them affordable for consumers and taxpayers, which puts even more strain on states since they must have balanced budgets,” Grassley writes. “This tells me the system needs stronger transparency and reporting tools to keep costs in check.”