Welcome to the WBD News Flash, your weekly highlight of HR benefits and healthcare news. Weekly, we will provide you with the top trending industry news stories in healthcare, human resources, legislation, benefits technology and administration, and more. Make the WBD News Flash your go to reference for current events!
President Trump Signs Order on Medicare Drug Prices
On Sunday, President Trump signed an executive order designed to lower prescription drug prices for Medicare users. The order ties the prices Medicare will pay for certain drugs to overseas prices.
Part B drugs, which are administered in physicians’ offices, and Part D drugs, issued at pharmacies, will be part of a payment model that ties their costs to the lowest price paid by a comparable nation. The Department of Health and Human Services will be tasked with testing the model to find if it produces better outcomes and lower prices.
Pharmaceutical lobby groups were critical of the measure. Earlier in the month, leading lobbyist group PhRMA disputed President’s Trump’s statement that he was meeting with drug companies to discuss pricing, saying they were not aware of any meetings taking place.
Digital Pharmacy Truepill Expands Virtual Care
The business-to-business digital pharmacy TruePill is expanding their at-home lab testing project with a funding boost of $75 million. The company provides pharmacy fulfillment and delivery to a number of healthcare plans and pharmaceutical manufacturers across the United States. Their at-home lab testing services aims to continue the company goal of providing comprehensive digital healthcare.
Truepill’s lab testing service will include hundreds of at-home tests, focusing on chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease, according to FierceHealthcare. Truepill co-founder and president said in a statement: “We envision a future where 80% of healthcare is virtual.”
Return-to-Work Tools from Health Advocate
A company is providing a COVID-19 forecasting tool which helps employers make decisions about the risk level in their workplaces. Health Advocate’s Return Navigator is designed to give employers a visualization of national and local COVID-19 trends. With its help, Health Advocate says, they can pinpoint hot spots and make informed choices about opening or closing workplaces.
The suite of applications includes the Return Pass Mobile App, a self-screening health app built on CDC guidelines, which gives employees daily direction on whether they should go to work, self-quarantine, or seek medical care. Health Advocate is providing a range of return-to-work solutions for employers, including on-site testing and screening.