Nick Manetto Discusses Future of Federal PBM Spread Pricing Bill With Inside Health Policy

Faegre Drinker Consulting principal Nick Manetto discussed a Congressional provision aimed at limiting spread pricing-use for pharmacy benefit managers in an article for Inside Health Policy.

A bipartisan change prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers from incorporating the use of spread pricing in their contracts with Medicaid managed care plans likely won't see another chance to pass until the midterm elections. The article noted that potential changes to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score prevented the bill from being included in the bicameral Health and Human Services funding deal moving through the Senate. Manetto added that the changed CBO score and the level of changes to the policy that will need to be made depending on what the new score is could determine the bill's future chances of passage.

“… The reality of the year we are in means that any action would most likely not happen until the lame duck session in November or December,” Manetto added.