Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 46m

Medicare may soon overhaul the system for determining physician pay, which has largely been shaped by an influential industry group. USC Schaeffer's Paul Ginsburg, a former MedPAC vice chair, tells @medscape.com @lizszabo.bsky.social why reform is long overdue.

Medicare Proposal Would Boost Primary Care Doc Pay

Medicare has announced plans to change the way it calculates fees for doctors, signaling that it will rely less on American Medical Association recommendations.

www.medscape.com

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 1d

Pfizer and now AstraZeneca struck deals with the White House to provide "most-favored nation" pricing in Medicaid. But as USC Schaeffer’s Darius Lakdawalla explains to @cbsnews.com, the effect may be small since Medicaid already gets the “best price” by law.

Trump unveils deal for AstraZeneca to cut Medicaid drug prices and join "TrumpRx" site

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca will offer U.S. patients discounted prices for some drugs, President Trump announced Friday, the second major drug company to strike a deal with the administration.

www.cbsnews.com

2 5

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 4d

While the White House’s Pfizer deal may not change prices much, the company’s pledge to invest in U.S. research and manufacturing could be a strong boost for domestic drug production, USC Schaeffer Scholar William Padula tells @investopedia.com.

A New Way to Buy Cheaper Meds Might Be Coming—Here’s What Pfizer and Trump Are Planning

Pfizer plans to sell discounted prescription drugs directly to consumers through TrumpRX.gov, but will this initiative help Americans afford pricey medications?

www.investopedia.com

Reposted by USC Schaeffer

The University of Southern California @usc.edu · 5d

Medicine is moving at light speed — curing rare diseases and personalizing care with AI. @schaeffer.usc.edu highlights that the FDA regulatory approval processes must catch up.

Former FDA Leaders Say New Policies Needed to Boost Medical Innovation - September 26, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

Advances in rare disease treatments and clinical trial tools demand new regulatory frameworks, former commissioners said a Schaeffer Center conference on FDA reform. - September 26, 2025

schaeffer.usc.edu

1 2

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 6d

California’s new tax cut on legal cannabis is designed to undercut the illicit market. But efforts to rein in illegal sales continue to lag, partly due to weak enforcement, USC Schaeffer’s Rosalie Pacula told @annenbergmedia.bsky.social.

Gov. Newsom signs bill to lower tax rates on cannabis

Gov. Newsom's new bill aims to make the legal cannabis industry more competitive against the illegal market.

www.uscannenbergmedia.com

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 6d

Pfizer's deal with the White House grabbed headlines, but its actual impact is uncertain. USC Schaeffer's Dana Goldman discusses with @nam.edu the challenges of patchwork drug pricing efforts and the need for a more rational pricing system.

Read the interview here: nam.edu/news-and-ins...

Quote from Dana Goldman: I don’t think there is enough attention to the fundamental question that should matter for Americans: how should drug prices reflect the values held by Americans? And how can we make reimbursement decisions that get us closer to recognizing that value?

1 1

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 10d

The big flaw in #340B: "The program is not actually directed to the needy," USC Schaeffer Scholar Ryan Long told HealthLeaders.

The program's reliance on spread pricing disproportionately benefits hospitals with a higher mix of commercially insured patients, our new white paper shows.

Making the Case for 340B Reforms

Ryan Long, the co-author of a recent USC Schaeffer Center white paper on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, argues that meaningful reform requires shifting to a direct subsidy model based on need.

www.healthleadersmedia.com

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 12d

USC Schaeffer’s WilliamPadula discusses what TrumpRx could mean for patients and why it's important to focus on bringing down drug development costs.

What will ‘TrumpRx’ actually mean for patients? Who will benefit most from slashed drug costs — and what those savings will look like

Prescription drug prices in the US are roughly 2.78 times higher on average than in 33 other high-income countries, a 2024 report by the RAND Corporation found.

nypost.com

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 13d

USC Schaeffer's William Padula talks with @axios.com about President Trump's claims on drug price reductions.

Trump's epic economic and drug figures fizzle under scrutiny

Trump's claims on tariff revenue and decreasing drug prices clash with expert data.

www.axios.com

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 14d

A new Schaeffer Center white paper shows meaningful #340B reform must eliminate "spread pricing," where providers buy discounted drugs and bill insurers at higher rates.

This practice favors wealthier providers and drives up costs systemwide.

Reform of Federal Drug Discount Program Should Target Misaligned Incentives - September 29, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

A new Schaeffer Center white paper demonstrates why meaningful 340B reform must end “spread pricing,” in which participating providers buy discounted drugs and bill insurers at higher rates. - Septemb...

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 18d

The Trump administration can help ensure Americans pay drug prices more in line with the rest of the world by adopting a more rational system for pricing medicines, USC Schaeffer scholars wrote about #MFN in @statnews.com earlier this year.

Ensuring Most-Favored Nation Drug Pricing Doesn’t Sicken Us - May 20, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

Lowering drug prices to European benchmarks would ultimately reduce innovation and make Americans less healthy. Instead, a drug pricing system based on U.S. values would enhance access and support med...

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 20d

NIH may create an Open Payments-style database to track health industry funding of research. USC Schaeffer's @profgenkanter.bsky.social tells @science.org that transparency is generally good but warns: "The devil is in the details."

NIH promises to create conflict-of-interest database for scientists, but offers few details

Proposed system would mirror Open Payments program for tracking industry payments to doctors

www.science.org

1 2

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 22d

USC Schaeffer research featured in @stateline.org finds pharmacies in Black and Latino neighborhoods are less likely to carry a key #opioid addiction treatment, even though people of color are more likely to die from opioid overdoses. stateline.org/2025/09/08/m...

Many Black, Latino people can't get opioid addiction med. Medicaid cuts may make it harder. • Stateline

Pharmacies in Black and Latino neighborhoods are less likely to dispense buprenorphine — one of the main treatments for opioid use disorder — even though people of color are more likely to die from op...

stateline.org

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 25d

The pace of medical innovation is accelerating. New development tools can deliver life-changing treatments faster and at lower cost.

Our new Schaeffer Center white paper shows how the #FDA can fully harness these technologies so more patients benefit.

Schaeffer Center White Paper Outlines FDA Reforms to Boost Pharmaceutical Innovation and Expand Access - September 11, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

To harness the full potential of new medical technologies, a new white paper calls for significant FDA reforms to streamline clinical trials, provide greater certainty for innovators and speed game-ch...

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 26d

What if for just $8 per newborn, hundreds of boys each year could be spared from a lifetime of muscle loss and early death?

Schaeffer's Elizabeth Currid-Halkett shares her family's story with early #DMD treatment in @wsj.com and calls on HHS to update newborn screening guidelines

Opinion | HHS’s Chance to Save Hundreds of Boys

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is treatable if caught through screening of infants.

www.wsj.com

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · 28d

📅Join us Friday: How #FDA policy reforms can cut drug development costs and get innovative treatments to patients faster.

Speakers: @scottgottliebmd.bsky.social, Janet Woodcock, ArsenalBio's Ken Drazan, @everylifeorg.bsky.social's Annie Kennedy & Schaeffer's Lowell Schiller

Register (DC + Zoom) ⬇️

Reforming the FDA to Meet Today’s Innovation Challenges - August 6, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

Drug development costs continue to escalate as innovators struggle with lengthy approval timelines that can run a decade or more. With FDA user fee - Reforming the FDA to Meet Today’s Innovation Chall...

schaeffer.usc.edu

1

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 12

The #FDA is shifting away from longstanding practice of having outside experts review drug applications. This could mean less public scrutiny and external input on agency decisions, USC Schaeffer Sr. Scholar @profgenkanter.bsky.social tells @kffhealthnews.org.

Under Trump, FDA Seeks To Abandon Expert Reviews of New Drugs - KFF Health News

Advisory committee meetings help FDA scientists make decisions and increase public understanding of drug regulation, and abandoning them doesn’t make sense, former officials said.

kffhealthnews.org

2 1

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 11

To ensure patients fully benefit from this era of rapid medical innovation, a new USC Schaeffer Center white paper outlines significant #FDA reforms to:

🔹streamline clinical trials
🔹provide certainty to innovators
🔹improve access to new treatments

Schaeffer Center White Paper Outlines FDA Reforms to Boost Pharmaceutical Innovation and Expand Access - September 11, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

To harness the full potential of new medical technologies, a new white paper calls for significant FDA reforms to streamline clinical trials, provide greater certainty for innovators and speed game-ch...

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 10

While drug ads boost sales, USC Schaeffer research found they also help patients by improving medication adherence, encouraging use of generics and driving greater engagement with the healthcare system.

Should the Government Restrict Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising? Six Takeaways on Their Effects. - March 23, 2023 - USC Schaeffer

Policymakers should proceed with caution as they design proposals to restrict advertising. - March 23, 2023

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 9

A fair price for GLP-1s should reflect their underlying value. Schaeffer Center research estimates a value-based price of:

💠$7,511–$8,939/year for Medicare-aged adults
💠$12,202–$16,762/year for adults aged 44–46, who gain more years of better health

A Value-Based Price for Anti-Obesity Medications - July 17, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

An appropriate price for GLP-1s should reflect the underlying value of the highly effective treatments. We use a dynamic microsimulation to estimate value-based prices that account for the health bene...

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 8

Employers are bracing for the sharpest increase in healthcare costs in about 15 years. Still, Schaeffer Sr. Scholar Paul Ginsburg tells @nytimes.com why coverage remains too valuable for them to abandon.

Health Care Costs for Workers Begin to Climb

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by USC Schaeffer

The University of Southern California @usc.edu · Sep 6

Only 39% of pharmacies carry buprenorphine, a highly effective opioid addiction treatment. @schaeffer.usc.edu shows access is even lower in Black and Latino neighborhoods.

Despite Relaxed Prescribing Rules, Opioid Addiction Treatment Still Hard to Find at Pharmacies - September 2, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

Even as policymakers have made it much easier to prescribe buprenorphine, a new Schaeffer Center study finds most pharmacies still aren't carrying the treatment. - September 2, 2025

schaeffer.usc.edu

1 2

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 5

While a new out-of-pocket cap protects #Medicare beneficiaries against high drug costs, USC Schaeffer research finds most are likely paying more at the pharmacy counter.

Co-Director Erin Trish discusses how plans are reacting to the IRA and the potential financial and health impacts on seniors.

IRA drives ‘substantial’ out-of-pocket cost increases

The Medicare drug negotiation law has led to higher out-of-pocket costs for many Medicaid enrollees, according to recent research.

www.hfma.org

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Sep 3

It’s become much easier to prescribe a key #opioid addiction treatment. However, a new USC Schaeffer study in #HealthAffairs shows most pharmacies still don't carry the treatment, including in some especially hard-hit areas.

Despite Relaxed Prescribing Rules, Opioid Addiction Treatment Still Hard to Find at Pharmacies - September 2, 2025 - USC Schaeffer

Even as policymakers have made it much easier to prescribe buprenorphine, a new Schaeffer Center study finds most pharmacies still aren't carrying the treatment. - September 2, 2025

schaeffer.usc.edu

USC Schaeffer @schaeffer.usc.edu · Aug 29

Medicare Advantage has grown to cover most seniors.
Schaeffer Sr. Scholar Steve Lieberman traces how overpayments, upcoding & favorable selection are helping fuel MA's meteoric rise and discusses potential reforms on the #HealthAffairs podcast.

Podcast: Steven Lieberman on The Meteoric Rise Of Medicare Advantage | Health Affairs Podcast

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Steven M. Lieberman of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles on his recent paper that explores how Medicare Advantage has seen significant enrollment g...

www.healthaffairs.org