Pharma Update: A frenzy of activity took place this month starting with news that Takeda might acquire Shire, which would make the Japanese company a $80B behemoth and one of the largest deals in UK acquisition history. Since then, the two have a preliminary deal in place. It’s a cash-and-stock bid now worth $64 billion or so, about $4 billion more than its first offer. Meanwhile other GI and neuroscience drugmakers might jump in the game: Allergan seemed like a contender but dropped out quickly after the publicity did not go well for them.
Health Plan/PBM Update: Cigna faces a Department of Justice review for its proposed acquisition of Express Scripts while CVS Health faces a similar review for its proposed acquisition of Aetna.
ACA Update: A proposed federal rule would make it easier to sell short-term insurance, reversing Obama-era regulations. Analysts argue the change would increase ACA individual market premiums and decrease enrollment because it would divide the risk pool thereby disrupting how insurance generally functions.
Medicaid Update; Medicaid is in the news as some states face lawsuits as they attempt to add work requirements for some recipients while other states move to expand Medicaid. Read more on our blog here.
Medicare Update: Democrats continue to make their stance on access to healthcare clear most recently with a Medicare Buy-In Bill, while over half of Americans support single payer, according to this March Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Note: the same poll found that the vast majority of the public felt pharmaceutical companies have too much influence in Washington, far more than that of provider groups.