As of March 2025, there were 270 medications in active shortage status in the United States. Many of these medications had also been scarce for months or years before that, which has left healthcare providers scrambling.
340B Contract-Pharmacy Ruling and What It Means for Discounts | Simplefill
blogFor decades, hospitals and other eligible entities have been able to purchase outpatient medications at significantly lower rates directly from pharmaceutical companies via the 340B program. This made it possible for facilities and providers to offer care to uninsured and underinsured populations.
How the Proposed ETHIC Act Could Reduce Prescription Costs | Simplefill
blogThe Eliminating Thickets to Increase Competition (ETHIC) Act would help limit the number of drug patents that can be asserted by those who hold the patents, including drug companies. This bill would make room for more competition, helping lower prescription medication costs while not stifling innovation.
Entresto, Tradjenta & Opsumit Are Going Generic | Simplefill
blogAs medication prices continue to escalate, three drugs are going generic. They are Entresto, Tradjenta, and Opsumit. Despite the court battles that have ensued, the generic options will be available to patients soon. Learn more about the path that has led to the availability of these generic medications.
How Much Will Health Spending Grow in 2026? | Simplefill
blogA recent survey that the Business Group on Health conducted revealed that employers across the nation expect to see health care costs increase by 9% in 2026. But what is leading to this significant hike in costs? Here’s what you should know about the trends that could cause such an increase for employers and even more for individual payers.
Did the Inflation Reduction Act Actually Increase Medicare Costs? | Simplefill
blogAlthough it provides significant cost relief for beneficiaries, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is designed to reduce government spending on prescription drugs by restructuring Medicare Part D liability. Passed by the Biden administration in 2022, the law’s primary goals are to lower out-of-pocket costs for enrollees and enable Medicare to negotiate prices.
Top 10 Trends in Health Care Spending | Simplefill
blogHealth care spending has increased significantly nationwide in the past few years, and several key factors are behind this surge in costs. By understanding the top 10 trends shaping this spending, you can better understand what to expect from the industry in the coming years.
How “March-In” Rights Could Shake Drug Prices | Simplefill
blogOne of the options the Trump administration is choosing to lower drug prices is to use the Bayh-Dole Act, which contains a provision that gives the government march-in rights. These allow federal agencies to give patents for taxpayer-funded inventions to other companies so that they can create lower-cost options.
A Global Drug Price Tug-of-War and Why Americans Pay More | Simplefill
blogIn the United States, consumers pay significantly more for the prescription medications they need than people in other countries. There are numerous factors that influence costs, including the lack of federal price controls and the absence of a central negotiating agency.
How the AMA-GOP Fight Affects Your Doctor Bills | Simplefill
blogThe GOP is attempting to lower healthcare costs, but the American Medical Association (AMA) argues that these efforts will significantly reduce physician income. This doesn’t just affect physicians; it could also result in significant costs to the American public and a further burden on the entire healthcare system.
The healthcare cuts proposed by the GOP come hand-in-hand with policy changes that the administration is focused on. Both of these factors have led to a serious clash between the GOP and those lobbying for the American Medical Association (AMA). Learn more about what this could mean for your medical care costs.
What Is the Basis for the AMA-GOP Fight?
The Medicare payment system is in need of a substantial update. Physician reimbursement rates have dropped significantly in the last couple of decades.
Combined with the rising costs associated with medical practices, doctors are struggling. To make matters worse, Medicare doesn’t offer an inflation-rate annual update to cover rising expenses.
What Happens When Doctors Can’t Afford to Practice?
When physicians can’t afford to maintain their practices, there is less access to the care people need. There are already shortages in the healthcare system, so further reducing the number of available professionals puts a serious burden on everyday people.
This is a particular problem in already underserved communities. Those who live in rural areas or who belong to minority communities can all suffer from a lack of access to medical services. Minority communities tend to have higher rates of chronic illnesses to begin with, and less access will only exacerbate that.
Why Do Medicare Reimbursement Issues Spell Trouble for Patients?
If Medicare reimbursements are problematic, physicians may resort to refusing certain insurance plans. That could cut access to a significant number of people. They might increase costs to cover further expenses, or they could cut their work hours.
Patients who have Medicare may not be able to receive certain services if physicians refuse to accept their insurance. That means worsening conditions and the inability to afford medications for chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia or diabetes.
How Will This Impact Your Access to Care?
Getting access to care may be even more difficult for people who have plans that require them to see in-network providers. Shorter hours or restrictions on services result in patients not getting affordable treatments.
In the long run, patients not receiving care puts a burden on the entire healthcare system. They will depend more on emergency services, which are more expensive, and they may require more invasive treatments for conditions that could have been better managed with reliable access to doctors. This results in higher premiums for everyone.
Get Affordable Access to Prescription Medications
Simplefill is a full-service prescription assistance company that researches, qualifies, and maintains patients’ enrollment in all sources of assistance available to them.
Apply today by calling 877-386-0206. A caring Simplefill representative will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your application and, if qualified, enroll you in the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
As the GOP-AMA fight continues, you may have questions about how to afford the care you need.
How Can I Get Affordable Prescription Medications?
Whether you have Medicare coverage or not, you have the option of turning to patient assistance programs to get your prescription medications. These services allow you to get access to discounted rates. At Simplefill, we simplify the process even further by handling all the applications for you. This gives you a better chance of being accepted.
Who Is Most Affected by the GOP-AMA Struggle?
People who have chronic health issues can be severely impacted by the changes that the GOP proposes to Medicare reimbursement. There could be more restrictions on the care they need, which might lead doctors to increase their rates. The elderly are also at risk, especially because they often have more than one chronic medical condition to address.
Do the Proposed Changes to Medicare Offer Benefits for Patients?
For the most part, the changes the GOP proposes are focused on lowering costs, but they don’t offer many benefits for patients. Instead, they will likely see an increase in prices for the services they need. Doctors may face challenges if Medicare’s reimbursement methods for their services change.
Will There Be Cuts to Medicaid?
Medicaid is likely to be affected. The latest GOP bill would cut spending to this program, making it difficult for low-income families to receive assistance.