Posts Tagged: health insurers

Affordable health care threatened by hospitals’ mark-up costs

Photo illustration of money and medical care. (Image: ShutterstockProfessional, via Shutterstock)

by BETTY JO TOCCOLI posted 06.13.2022

OPINION: If passed, SB 958 would severely limit specialty pharmacies’ ability to deliver lower cost medications to patients, while also making it even easier for hospitals to markup the cost they charge patients for critical medications, and in the end, we would see higher health care premiums for California’s employers and individuals.

Costly health care and pharmacy benefit managers

Drugs on a shelf for sale at a pharmacy. (Photo: i viewfinder, via Shutterstock)

by BILL REMAK posted 02.14.2020

OPINION: With the rising cost of health care at forefront of nearly every Californian’s mind, lawmakers in Sacramento are rightly considering a range of potential policy proposals to help rein in costs. In 2018, legislators took positive initial steps to regulate some of the egregious business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) – little-known middlemen in the health care system who have contributed to rising costs.