The largest health insurers, hospitals and doctors' groups in Rhode Island have agreed to cap their annual spending growth to 3.2% from 2019 to 2022. That's a somewhat aggressive target that is below recent national spending growth.
The nonprofit drug supplier Civica Rx, which aims to supply drugs that are unavailable due to shortage or price, will also try to force transparency about how money flows through the hands of middlemen.
The Trump administration's recent proposal to change the way drug prices are negotiated in Medicare and Medicaid is operating under a tight timeline, and some are skeptical that it can be solidified by 2020.
Why it matters: The new policy would raise Medicare Part D premiums once it takes effect. For now, the premium hike is expected to be announced this fall. But if implementation is delayed, that hike could come in the fall of 2020 — right before the presidential election.
