A recently proposed health policy

Answer

Health Bill Analysis: Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act

            The H.R. 987: Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act is a bill that was introduced to the House on Feb 6, 2019, sponsored by Lisa Blunt Rochester, Representative for Delaware. The bill passed House on May 16, 2019 and was received by the Senate on May 20, 2019 for consideration and has since then been read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension. The bill seeks to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities. This bill “requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct outreach and educational activities regarding federally-facilitated exchanges (i.e., health insurance exchanges that are established and operated within states by HHS)” (Congress, 2020). The suggested inclusion to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is that the Secretary shall execute outreach and educational activities for intended information of potential enrollees in attained health plans offered via the Exchange of the availability of coverage and financial assistance under such plans. The outreach and educational activities shall be mannerly administered with propriety and consideration of culture and language aligned to the needs of the populations being served by the Exchange (without ignoring the hard-to-reach minority populations like sexual and racial minorities, young adults, and populations with English ineloquence.  This paper analyzes the Bill from the scope of Healthcare practitioner.

            The primary intention of the bill is to increase healthcare access and lower the prices of prescription drugs, with especial interests in drug pricing and health insurance coverage in the health turf. The bill is bipartisan in the aspect that it addresses two major healthcare concerns - lowering prescription drug prices and defending vital protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The bill’s proposal was informed by pertinent demands of the American people that call for congressional action in lowering drug prices, which have been expensive in spite of the escalation of long-term illnesses, especially lifestyle disorders (Johnson, 2019). Johnson (2019) highlights the importance of the bill in auctioning relief of drug prices to Americans. Regulatory measures suggested against big Pharmaceutical companies’ exclusive claims was influenced by the fact that patent large pharmaceutical companies fix other companies to keep generic drugs from the marketspace, hence remodeling the prices in disfavor of the consuming citizens.

            The bill’s informing background is indeed evidence-based, as the high cost of drugs in the US is prevalent. AARP indicated, “Drugs often cost more than patients can afford, particularly brand-name medications that have patent protection” and advocated that doctors research on drug affordability before prescription while highlighting the need to avail drugs to consumers sooner than stipulated by the current law (17). Moreover, pharmaceutical companies have defended the high drugs cost on innovation yet even existing drug brands have often posted enormous percentage rises in prices, like the price of Sanofi brand of insulin rising by around 50% in 2014 (Blumberg, 2019). In 2019, just before the bill was introduced, pharmaceutical companies hiked drug prices significantly to kick off the year (Blumberg, 2019). Blumberg (2019) quoted that the incessant rise in drug prices has been cited to exclusively benefits pharmaceutical companies and health insurers unethically. The evidences behind the bill also in the extensive ramification of high drug prices, which does not selectively affect Americans without coverage.

            Based on these facts, the evidence-based bill with its underlying concerns is attractive in a multidirectional manner. Though the bill attracts a 3% chance to be enacted according to Skopos Labs, it bears great human rights weight. If enacted, the burden of cost-dependent prescription will be lifted while general healthcare will be improved with increased access and affordability.