ML Strategies has posted its weekly Health Care Update.  This publication provides timely information on implementation of the Affordable Care Act, Congressional initiatives affecting the health care industry, and federal and state health regulatory developments.

Top news this week is the continued scrutiny of drug pricing.  Between Congress, payors, and physician groups, the biopharmaceutical industry is facing significant headwinds and will be tasked with changing the value proposition (or at least articulating it differently) in order to withstand the pressure from stakeholders on cost and comparative effectiveness.

In keeping with the cost theme, the CBO released new estimates showing that the Affordable Care Act would be less costly and cover more people than previous reports.  We believe the major debate after open enrollment is now shifting to cost containment, which will be the context for many legislative and regulatory debates to come in 2014 and going forward.

Click here to read this week's Update.