For the second time this year, California officials have delayed a much-ballyhooed effort to start a program in which the state would negotiate prescription drug prices and create a its own purchasing system for certain medicines. But this time, it is unclear when the initiative will get off the ground.
A notice on the California Department of Health Care Services website says the new Medi-Cal Rx program was scheduled to start on April 1, but has been delayed. No start date was given and a department spokesperson wrote us that an update will be provided next month. The website indicates a meeting is scheduled for May 19.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!
GET STARTEDWhat is it?
STAT+ is STAT's premium subscription service for in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis. Our award-winning team covers news on Wall Street, policy developments in Washington, early science breakthroughs and clinical trial results, and health care disruption in Silicon Valley and beyond.
What's included?
- Daily reporting and analysis
- The most comprehensive industry coverage from a powerhouse team of reporters
- Subscriber-only newsletters
- Daily newsletters to brief you on the most important industry news of the day
- STAT+ Conversations
- Weekly opportunities to engage with our reporters and leading industry experts in live video conversations
- Exclusive industry events
- Premium access to subscriber-only networking events around the country
- The best reporters in the industry
- The most trusted and well-connected newsroom in the health care industry
- And much more
- Exclusive interviews with industry leaders, profiles, and premium tools, like our CRISPR Trackr.
About the Author Reprints
May one observe that “draft version of long list” is a bit of … understatement? The target pdf is over 200 pages. Dream Big … or “California Dreaming” as they say?