Kelly Cleary Quoted in Decision Health/Part B News on Prediction for Drug Pricing in 2021
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Akin Gump health care and life sciences partner Kelly Cleary has been quoted in the Decision Health/Part B News article “More 2021 predictions: Drug pricing, X modifiers, HHS chief.” Cleary shares her thoughts on the international pricing index (IPI), which, under President Trump, pegs Medicare drug payments to foreign prices and resulted in an interim final rule issued in November.
According to the article, the rule creates a dilemma for President-elect Joe Biden, as it would require him to tie Medicare reimbursement to prices for drugs outside of the United States. According to Cleary, though, the IPI could give Biden “an exit strategy” if he doesn’t want to go that route, and give him “the option to scrap the rule altogether.” She added that he could also “kick the can a little bit -- put the [IPI] in through notice and comment and keep the threat of it dangling out there, perhaps, for leverage in negotiations with industry, just to see what else they could come up with.”