If Humira, the drug that treats a range of autoimmune conditions, were its own company, it would have almost the same amount of annual sales as Southwest Airlines or Visa and would be more than twice the size of the Hilton global hotel chain.
The big picture: AbbVie has several other drugs, but Humira is its financial bread and butter. Humira's sales likely will decline this year as more biosimilar versions hit European markets, but the drug will still rake in more revenue in the U.S. as its net annual price exceeds $40,000.
PhRMA, the drug industry's leading trade group, is considering a proposal that would commit member companies to limiting increases in the prices of drugs purchased by Medicare, BioCentury reported this weekend.
Why it matters: Rising brand-name drug costs are due largely to price inflation, a January Health Affairs study found, while generic and specialty drug price increases are driven more by new products entering the market.
Surprise medical bills not only provide financial stress to those who receive them, but they also can raise health care costs for everyone else.
How it works: Emergency room doctors can use the threat of high out-of-network bills to negotiate higher payment rates with insurers, raising premiums.
