October 2015

Consolidation in the insurance industry and the pace of the rise in cost of general and specialty pharmaceuticals are the 2 factors in the healthcare industry that will most affect access and affordability.

Bruce J. Gould, MD, shares his experience as a private oncology practitioner facing competition from large medical centers with respect to 340B drug pricing.

The swift increase of cancer care costs has created difficulties for independent oncology practices, but the largest of the challenges may be finding a financially sustainable way to provide good care to patients who cannot pay all of their own bills.

The medical home model created by John Sprandio, MD, which typically offers wraparound care to improve patient outcomes, is also slowly expanding into oncology practices nationally.

The door isn't fully closed on the acute oncology drug shortages of 4 years ago, observers say, though the FDA has established rules for greater disclosure by manufacturers and continues to tweak guidelines that would require far more information about manufacturing processes and production issues.

The attempt by Turing Pharmaceuticals to boost the price of the anti-parasitic pyrimethamine (Daraprim) 5500% is now under reconsideration, but it shows up the flaws inherent in a fragmented payment system.

The 340B drug discount program is bigger than any Jurassic Park monster that ever broke out of its cage, and arguably bigger than any California wildfire that ever burned up the Sierras.