Biosimilars Forum Submits Comments on HHS Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 16, 2018 – The Biosimilars Forum submitted formal comments on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs.

The Forum focused its comments on four key areas: 1) increasing competition; 2) supporting better negotiation; 3) creating incentives to lower list prices; and 4) reducing patient out-of-pocket spending.

“This is a crucial moment for the growth of biosimilars in the United States, and we are encouraged that HHS is committed to pursuing policies that reward innovation and support provider and patient access and choice,” said Juliana M. Reed, president of the Biosimilars Forum. “Leveling the playing field for biosimilars applicants will increase competition and allow a more vibrant biosimilars market to flourish. This would be an important step towards delivering on the groundbreaking potential of biosimilars to improve affordability and patient health.”

While encouraged that the administration has taken a strong commitment to lowering drug prices as noted in the Blueprint and RFI, the Forum continues to promote additional policy changes that would foster competition to secure sustained growth of the biosimilars market.

The Forum also urged the Administration to advance implementation of its new coding and payment policy to assign a unique billing and payment J-code for each biosimilar product. As noted in the Blueprint, this change is an important step toward expanding the production and use of biosimilars in the U.S.

To read the Forum’s complete comments, click here.

About the Biosimilars Forum

The Biosimilars Forum is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance biosimilars in the United States with the intent of expanding access and availability of biological medicines, and improving health care. The founding members of the Biosimilars Forum represent the majority of companies with the most significant U.S. biosimilars development portfolios.

To learn more about biosimilars, the Forum, and how to get involved, visit BiosimilarsForum.org, @USbiosimilars, or Facebook/USBiosimilars to follow related conversations and join the dialogue.

Contact:
Anthony Hogrebe, Marathon Strategies
Anthony@marathonstrategies.com