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The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today held a on seven bills aimed at improving transparency in the drug supply chain to lower prices.
 
Some of the bills would require certain drug manufacturers to submit documentation to the Department of Health and Human Services 30 days before increasing the price of a qualifying drug (H.R. 2296); justify increases estimated to cost at least $26,000 a year or per treatment (H.R. 2069); and report on product samples provided to certain health care providers (H.R. 2064).
 
Others would require all drug makers to accurately report average sales price data for Part B drugs to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or face civil money penalties (H.R. 2087), and pharmacy benefit managers to publicly report on the aggregate rebates, discounts and price concessions they negotiate with drug makers (H.R. 2115).
 
H.R. 2376 would require the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a study on competition in the drug supply chain; and H.R. 2757 would eliminate generic drugs copayment requirements for Part D beneficiaries who receive low-income subsidies. 
 
Testifying at the hearing were officials from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, Alliance of Specialty Medicine, Families USA, Arnold Ventures, and American Action Forum.
 
The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing, whose founding members include the AHA, House members “for keeping up the bipartisan momentum to lower prescription drug prices.”