What We're Reading: Presidential Campaigns and the Cost of Medicine

Avik Roy Signs Up With Marco Rubio’s Camp

The senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and top conservative health policy expert has signed on as an advisor for Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) presidential campaign, reported The Hill. Roy was advising Texas Governor Rick Perry before he dropped out of the race, and in 2012, Roy advised Mitt Romney’s campaign.

Read more: http://bit.ly/1R8Zo3T

In early 2015, Roy discussed with The American Journal of Managed Care his expectations for the 2016 presidential election and promises to repeal and replace President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA). Roy has introduced his own approach for fixing the health law.

Democrats to Tangle Over Healthcare?

The Democratic presidential candidates will hold their first primary debate and healthcare is expected to be a point of discussion. Modern Healthcare outlines the stances of the 3 top candidates—Hillary Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley—on the Cadillac tax, slowing prescription drug prices, and the ACA in general in advance of the debate tonight.

Read more: http://bit.ly/1R909tv

America Pays 3 Times More for Medicine Than Britain

Researchers at Britain’s University of Liverpool found US prices for the world’s 20 top-selling drugs are 3 times higher than in Britain. In general, US prices were consistently higher than other European markets. The difference, according to Reuters, is that the US leaves pricing to market competition and other countries where governments directly or indirectly control costs have much lower prices.

Read more: http://reut.rs/1NBLl98