Richard Frank

Jan 8, 2025 | jamanetwork.com | Rachel Sachs |Richard Frank |Brookings Institution

Assessing the Effect of the Medicare Part D Redesign Since the creation of Medicare Part D in 2003, policymakers and experts have expressed concern about the design of its benefit structure, focusing on the significant costs incurred by many beneficiaries and the ways its payment structure limited Part D plans’ incentives to lower costs.

Dec 2, 2024 | brookings.edu | Richard Frank

It is disappointing when scholars from reputable academic institutions enter a fact-free zone to make policy arguments. Sadly, this is exactly the line of argument that Gowda and Miller have recently pursued. They accuse the Biden-Harris administration of having “both stifled innovation and made it harder for drugs to reach patients.” I believe that it is worth looking beyond the tired pharma talking points and made-up simulation numbers to what is happening on the ground.

Nov 26, 2024 | medcitynews.com | Richard Frank |Michael Blackman

For the nearly 42% of U.S. adults grappling with obesity, scientific advances in treatment have opened a new chapter in care. Among these breakthroughs, GLP-1 medications have emerged as transformative tools, enabling significant weight loss and notable cardiometabolic improvements. However, this progress comes with a steep cost — an average annual cost of $9,000 per patient. Despite the high price tag, long-term outcomes remain uncertain.

Jul 8, 2024 | brookings.edu | Richard Frank |Gerard F. Anderson

Editor's note: The authors submitted this comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on July 1, 2024. In an effort to lower the price of prescription drugs, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 established the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to negotiate maximum fair prices (MFPs) for certain high-expenditure single source drugs and biologics.

Jul 5, 2024 | brookings.edu | Marta Wosinska |Richard Frank

Marta Wosińska and Richard Frank recently commented on a Senate Finance Committee legislative draft proposing a Medicare Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Program (“Shortage Program”) and an exemption from Medicaid inflation rebates for multisource generics.