Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The pharmaceutical industry is still pushing Congress to reverse a Medicare change that caught drugmakers flat-footed earlier this year. They're now targeting the lame-duck session after the midterms.
Where it stands: Some Republicans also want this "donut hole fix," and are still talking about tying it to a bill that would increase generic drug competition, two GOP Hill sources said. But getting Democrats on board will be tough.
The big picture: Earlier this year, Congress put pharmaceutical companies on the hook for more of seniors' costs in Medicare's drug benefit. Pharma has been pushing lawmakers to reverse the policy basically since its passage, most recently as part of an opioids bill, and now in the lame-duck — which may be its last chance.
Where it stands: The same deal that was floated for opioids legislation — combining the donut-hole measure with a version of the CREATES Act, to bolster generic drugs, is still in the mix.
- It also could be attached to other must-pass items, including another measure dealing with Medicare's drug benefit.
- A spokesman said Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden “continues to support fixing the donut hole ... He hopes and expects there will be bipartisan support next month when members return to DC.”
- But a spokesman for House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said "Republicans are just desperate to get their multi-billion dollar giveaway to Big Pharma done before a Democratic Majority takes over the House."