Bill Overview
Title: Independent Drug Value Assessment Act
Description: This bill requires the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation to contract with outside entities to conduct independent value assessments of approved drugs (i.e., economic analysis of the benefits to patients and the health care system).
Sponsors: Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals who use or may need to use pharmaceutical drugs
Estimated Size: 160000000
- This bill involves conducting economic analyses of approved drugs, which implies it affects all individuals who require medications.
- By assessing the value of drugs, there could be an impact on drug pricing and availability, affecting those who purchase medications.
- Evaluation of the value of drugs impacts healthcare decision-makers and patients within broader healthcare systems, as these assessments could influence drug formulary decisions.
- As drugs are used globally, the entire population requiring medication, regardless of nationality, could be affected by changes in drug assessments.
Reasoning
- The policy targets a broad base of the U.S. population, specifically focusing on users of pharmaceutical drugs.
- Those impacted range from patients regularly requiring medication to those influencing drug pricing and policy decisions.
- Given the policy's budget limitations, immediate impacts may be seen in small-scale drug assessments and pilot programs, with broader implications over the long term.
- Consideration is given to diverse demographic factors to ensure a representative sample, including different socio-economic backgrounds, healthcare needs, and geographical locations.
Simulated Interviews
Pharmacist (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a pharmacist, accurate drug value assessment would help me advise patients better about cost-effective treatments.
- I hope this leads to better pricing models, benefitting both healthcare systems and patients.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 67 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about increasing drug costs.
- An independent assessment may stabilize or reduce prices for essential medication, which would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Healthcare policy analyst (Austin, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will provide better data for policy refinement and advocacy.
- A step toward transparent drug pricing models.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Software engineer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Although I rarely use medication, systemic benefits like lower healthcare costs could indirectly impact me.
- Interesting to see how data analysis intersects with health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Insurance claims adjuster (Chicago, IL)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Drug pricing adjustments from value assessment could stabilize insurance algorithms.
- Personally, could help manage out-of-pocket medication costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Biotech researcher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Independent assessments could drive a more efficient drug approval pipeline.
- Excited to see potential acceleration in valuable drug releases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College student (Columbus, OH)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Building on these assessments could help us learn and apply better drug value metrics.
- Hope for educational insights and practical applications in my field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Primary care physician (Dallas, TX)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Independent value assessments could highlight and promote more cost-effective prescriptions.
- Could aid in better-informed clinical decisions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Construction worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Sometimes I skip medications due to cost. If this policy reduces prices, it would greatly help.
- Concerned about medication availability during injury recovery.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Pharmaceutical sales representative (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 34 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With better assessments, drug promotion may become more evidence-based.
- Excited about potential shifts in marketing strategies aligned with drug value.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $52000000 (Low: $42000000, High: $62000000)
Year 3: $54100000 (Low: $43700000, High: $64500000)
Year 5: $58400000 (Low: $47200000, High: $69600000)
Year 10: $64500000 (Low: $52000000, High: $77000000)
Year 100: $200000000 (Low: $160000000, High: $240000000)
Key Considerations
- The unpredictable response of pharmaceutical companies to drug value assessments, which could impact drug availability and innovation.
- The adaptability of other healthcare system stakeholders in using drug value assessments for decision-making.
- Potential legal challenges or political pushback from those who might oppose the outcomes of drug value assessments.