Pharmacy
Income for 2018 is projected to grow by 31 to 33 percent; Deal with Express Scripts to close by end of year.
Physician fee schedule and quality payment rule also makes updates to interoperability, telehealth and prescription drug costs.
The study, conducted prior to the insurer getting approval to acquire Express Scripts, shows a 9 percent reduction in high cost medical claims.
Physicians are under increasing pressure to discuss costs with patients when they write prescriptions, yet relatively few do so.
The International Pricing Index model would reset Medicare payments for physician-administered drugs.
Superintendent Maria Vullo wants guardrails to ensure promised synergies result in cost savings for consumers.
Drug samples were the most common benefits, with 55 percent of doctors reporting having received them.
Any such requirement would raise significant legal issues, including First Amendment concerns, PhRMA says.
Whether consumers will benefit from clout, data, lower pricing or not is up for debate.
Aetna's divestiture of Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to WellCare would fully resolve DOJ concerns.