A health policy juggernaut steps away from Capitol Hill

Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced Monday that he would not seek re-election in 2020. He has been a GOP leader on health policy for years, and was central both to Republicans' failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017 and passing a sweeping addiction-treatment bill the following year. 

But most interesting for me, at least, is Walden’s views on the drug industry. He’s accepted $168,000 in contributions from pharmaceutical industry PACs in the 2018 election cycle, more than any other politician. And while he’s thrown public support behind market-based drug pricing reforms, he also led Republicans’ opposition to more sweeping proposals, namely House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s signature bill, H.R. 3. 

Walden also hasn’t been afraid to criticize other leaders in his own party. In fact, in an interview with STAT's Lev Facher last week, Walden called a competing proposal from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to cap drug price hikes at the inflation rate a "flawed model" that could lead to higher launch prices. 

Walden, in many ways, was the perfect ally for the drug industry: He holds one of the most powerful perches for health policy in the House and he has the policy chops to be effective in that position, he’s proven himself incredibly politically savvy as the former chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and he’s even got Trump’s ear. 

So my biggest question: Who in the Republcian party will become the drug industry’s next Greg Walden?