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FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Senate Hearing: Drug Pricing in America

Original title: DRUG PRICING IN AMERICA: A PRESCRIPTION FOR CHANGE, PART I

January 1, 2020

healthcare drug pricing prescription drugs senate finance committee health policy

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing served as a foundational legislative step for the 116th Congress to investigate drug pricing, which directly impacts the out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans relying on prescription medications.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Patients with chronic conditions

These individuals face direct financial impacts from the cost of prescription medications like insulin.

Pharmaceutical industry

The industry is subject to potential legislative changes regarding pricing models and market regulations discussed in the hearing.

Health insurance providers

Insurance companies are involved in the negotiation and coverage of prescription drugs, which are the subject of the committee's inquiry.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is the transcript of a 2019 U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing focused on the rising costs of prescription drugs. The committee heard testimony from patients, health policy experts, and researchers to examine the factors driving drug prices and potential policy solutions.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on January 29, 2019, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The session was the first part of a series titled 'Drug Pricing in America: A Prescription for Change'.
Witnesses included representatives from health policy think tanks, cancer research centers, and a patient advocate.
The committee received written communications from 19 different organizations and individuals regarding drug pricing policy.
The hearing was presided over by Chairman Chuck Grassley.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The purpose was to gather expert testimony and patient perspectives to understand the drivers of prescription drug costs in the United States.

Who testified at the hearing?

Testimony was provided by Kathy Sego (patient advocate), Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin (American Action Forum), Dr. Mark Miller (Laura and John Arnold Foundation), and Dr. Peter B. Bach (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center).

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Insulin Costs

The inclusion of a patient advocate specifically representing insulin-dependent diabetes patients highlights the early legislative focus on insulin pricing in 2019.

Kathy Sego

Connected Entities

personMark Miller“Witness; Executive VP of Health Care at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation”Map →

personRon Wyden“Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee”Map →

personPeter B. Bach“Witness; Director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan”Map →

personChuck Grassley“Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee”Map →

organizationSenate Committee on Finance“Congressional committee overseeing tax, trade, and health programs”Map →

personDouglas Holtz-Eakin“Witness; President of the American Action Forum”Map →

personKathy Sego“Witness; mother of a child with insulin-dependent diabetes”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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