Congress Passed Critical Health Care Provisions
Statement from Mike Guerra, President & CEO, California Life Sciences and Chair of the Council of State Bioscience Associations
“California Life Sciences applauds Congress for passing critical healthcare provisions that will directly benefit patients across America. I extend my sincere gratitude to the California Congressional Delegation for their leadership addressing comprehensive pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, Medicare coverage for multi-cancer early detection tests, preservation of critical NIH funding, and reauthorization of the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program.
Each of these provisions puts patients first—ensuring they have access to affordable medications, breakthrough diagnostics that catch cancer early when it’s most treatable, and innovative therapies for rare diseases that would otherwise go untreated. Together, they represent the kind of patient-centered policymaking that saves lives and reduces healthcare costs.
For too long, PBMs have gamed the system—pocketing billions in rebates and fees that should have gone directly to patients at the pharmacy counter. The reforms passed today will fundamentally change how PBMs operate by requiring full transparency into their practices, banning spread-pricing that inflates costs, mandating the pass-through of rebates and discounts to patients, and de-linking PBM compensation from drug list prices.
Innovative cancer screening methods save lives, and Medicare coverage of multi-cancer early detection tests will enable earlier disease diagnoses and provide pathways for better patient outcomes for our nation’s seniors.
Reauthorization of the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program will continue bringing hope and lifesaving treatments to children and families facing devastating rare conditions.
Thank you for your efforts to ensure patients have access to affordable, lifesaving therapies. I look forward to continuing our work supporting California’s robust innovation ecosystem.”
About California Life Sciences
California Life Sciences is the voice for more than 1,300 biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical technology companies, research institutions, and leading universities. The organization advances public policy that promotes innovation and improves access to transformative technologies while supporting California’s position as the global leader in life sciences. For more information, visit www.califesciences.org.
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