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Ben Rome

@benro.me
625 followers 366 following 49 posts

Primary care doc, health policy researcher @portalresearch.org. Trying to make prescription drugs more affordable. 💊🩺📊

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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
New in Pediatrics led by @benro.me and John Kim showing increase in leucovorin use after FDA statements/publicity: publications.aap.org/pediatrics/a...
publications.aap.org
Use of Leucovorin After the FDA Announcement of Its Use for Autism Spectrum Disorders
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Leucovorin, or folinic acid (vitamin B9), is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce adverse effects from antifolate cancer treatments including methotr...
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
Language is now back in the Senate version of the OBBA that would undermine Medicare price negotiation for drugs with Orphan Drug Act designation. Here's our HA Forefront published yesterday (!) from Helen Mooney and @benro.me on why it is a very bad idea: www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/f...
healthaffairs.org
Congress Should Remove The Rare Disease Carve-Out From Medicare Drug Price Negotiation, Not Expand It | Health Affairs Forefront
Expansion of the Medicare drug price negotiation rare disease drug carve-out would unnecessarily limit the number of drugs eligible for negotiation, allow for continued high drug prices for products that earn billions of dollars in Medicare, and introduce a new set of misaligned incentives.
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Adam Raymakers @araymakers.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Great and engaging panel discussion about the future of the Inflation Reduction Act by @benro.me and Chris Cai (both from @portalresearch.org), @dusetzinas.bsky.social (Vanderbilt Health Policy), and Alyson Bancroft (@p4ad.bsky.social)! #ARM25
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
New Health Affairs Forefront post on the Medicare negotiation "biologic bonus" and the massive financial hit to patients and the health care system of delaying small molecule negotiation from 9 to 13 years, led by Chris Cai and @benro.me: www.healthaffairs.org/content/fore...
healthaffairs.org
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL) @handle.invalid · 30/04/2025
⭐Out now from Dr. Jerry Avorn— RETHINKING MEDICATIONS: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take In his new book, Dr. Avorn explains why some of the medications we take are poorly evaluated, overpriced, or pose unwarranted risks—and how we fix that. 📖 Grab a copy today: rethinkmeds.info
rethinkmeds.info
Home
Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL) @handle.invalid · 09/04/2025
WATCH: @akesselheim.bsky.social testifies before @waysmeanscmte.bsky.social On NIH cuts - "...the next generation will look back at this moment & ask what we were doing while the Trump administration systematically disposed of 1000s of research projects that could've helped patients."
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 23/02/2025
What’s really going on: Elon watched office space last night.
media.tenor.com
two men are sitting at a table with the caption what would you say you do here ?
ALT: two men are sitting at a table with the caption what would you say you do here ?
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 21/02/2025
Was this before or after the CEO of PhrMA wined and dined with Trump?? 😉 But seriously, nice to see that negotiating drug prices is actually a bipartisan priority. www.statnews.com/pharmalot/20...
statnews.com
Trump's Justice Department defends Medicare drug price talks in case brought by Novartis
Some see the DOJ filing as a sign the Trump administration is willing to maintain the controversial program.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 21/02/2025
This is a terrible change. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that it forced the health care system toward more adoption of telehealth. Good for patients, particularly those who need lots of care but who struggle to leave home.
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Dan Weissmann @danweissmann.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
We’ve summarized the (main, inaqdequate) ways to get prescription drugs for cheaper — with help from @benro.me. One of ‘em might work for you. And: you might know something we don’t. We’d love you to chime in. As always, paywall-free. firstaidkit.substack.com/p/how-to-may...
firstaidkit.substack.com
How to (maybe) get drugs for cheaper
What we’ve learned, and how you can help us learn more
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL) @handle.invalid · 03/02/2025
New from Chris Cai, @akesselheim.bsky.social and @benro.me in JAMA: Despite having gone off patent decades ago, repurposing the antidepressant doxepin for insomnia has led to persistent high prices even though generics are available, highlighting the need for policy reform in drug repurposing.
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Reposted by Ben Rome
JAMA @jama.com · 03/02/2025
Despite the availability of generic low-dose doxepin for insomnia, the medication remains costly and less frequently used compared to other insomnia treatments. ja.ma/4aLCKid #MedSky
Figure. National Trends in 30-Day Doxepin Prescriptions for Insomnia
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 31/01/2025
🩺📊 #medsky
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
New piece led by Anushka Bhaskar @portalresearch.org in STAT First Opinion on protecting public health agencies from damaging political interference -- even the threat of which can greatly affect people's behavior: www.statnews.com/2025/01/31/p...
statnews.com
How to protect HHS, FDA, NIH, and other health agencies from political interference
When politicians subordinate scientific institutions to electoral interests, they undermine immediate public health efforts and inflict lasting damage on institutional credibility.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 29/01/2025
Seems like the Trump administration plans to push ahead with negotiating drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act! 💊🩺📊 A glimmer of positive news among a sea of mayhem this week. www.cms.gov/newsroom/pre...
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 22/01/2025
Rescinding an executive order that directed CMMI to study models to lower drug costs isn’t the same as directing CMMI to stop implementing those models, is it?? #healthpolicy
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 17/01/2025
📰 15 more drugs up for Medicare price negotiation this year. Including the blockbuster diabetes/obesity drug semaglutide!! 💊🩺📈🧪 www.cms.gov/newsroom/pre...
cms.gov
HHS Announces 15 Additional Drugs Selected for Medicare Drug Price Negotiations in Continued Effort to Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors | CMS
Medicare has selected 15 more drugs to negotiate directly with participating drug companies. Building on the success of the first round of negotiations, the aim is to lower prices for some more of the...
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Rachel Sachs @rachelsachs.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Writing in @jama.com, @rgfrank.bsky.social and I have a new piece examining the IRA's Medicare Part D redesign. We argue that the redesign deserves greater scholarly attention and discuss four key themes of interest to policymakers. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Assessing the Effect of the Medicare Part D Redesign
This Viewpoint focuses on the Manufacturer Discount Program, identifying 4 key themes of interest to policymakers that may be affected by its Part D redesign.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 08/01/2025
Anything Aaron writes is worth reading 👇👇
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 01/01/2025
Starting tomorrow, patients with Medicare Part D coverage have a $2000 annual cap. 💊🩺📊 Happy new year!🎉🥳
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 22/12/2024
Nice @nytimes.com summary of some GOOD recommendations for reforming the #FDA… from experts including from @portalresearch.org director @akesselheim.bsky.social. 🩺📊🛟 www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/w...
nytimes.com
R.F.K. Jr. Wants to Overhaul the F.D.A. How Would Scientists Change It?
While some agree with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that the agency needs reform, their ideas for fixing it are very different from his.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 15/12/2024
Excellent summary of what to watch for with the #FDA in the upcoming administration. 🩺📊🛟
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
The wrong ways and right ways to reform the FDA in the new administration - new in Health Affairs Forefront from me and Josh Sharfstein: www.healthaffairs.org/content/fore...
healthaffairs.org
Will The New Administration’s FDA Be A Threat Or An Opportunity For The Public's Health? | Health Affairs Forefront
As various reform ideas are proposed, the organized medical and scientific community will need to work with the new leadership at the FDA to promote positive change–and oppose initiatives that undermi...
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 13/12/2024
🚨New @portalresearch.org paper🚨 in JAMA Health Forum. HIGHLIGHTS: 🔵 Biosimilars made up <2% of adalimumab use in 2023. 🔵 Net prices dropped by >40%...but the Humira list price increased. Meaning: Abbvie payed confidential rebates to maintain Humira dominance. 💊🩺📊 📜 jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Complex new study in American Heart Journal from former @portalresearch.org fellow Catherine Hwang and PORTAL faculty @benro.me about primary adherence to ARNIs vs ACEI/ARBs. Bottom line: no difference but longer to fill for the more expensive ARNIs: tinyurl.com/395bjdvr
tinyurl.com
ClinicalKey
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 02/12/2024
Just got a cold call from a group called "Voters for Cures" asking me to lobby Congress to pass PBM reform. No surprise who's funding that campaign. 🙄 We absolutely need PBM regulation. But I hope Congress makes sensible reforms that don't ultimately raise prices by manufacturers. #Healthpolicy
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Reposted by Ben Rome
JAMA @jama.com · 30/11/2024
High prescription drug costs in the US hinder patient access to medication, but there are strategies that clinical teams can use to help patients manage these costs. ja.ma/4eQizjM
Figure. Algorithm for How to Assist Patients With Unaffordable Prescription Drug Costs
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 26/11/2024
Earlier this year, Catherine Hwang, @akesselheim.bsky.social, and I argued that Medicare should cover anti-obesity medications...if they could negotiate fair prices. Is today's news a missed policy opportunity??? www.cambridge.org/core/journal... #Healthpolicy @portalresearch.org
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 26/11/2024
Journal: thanks for submitting your paper. Unfortunately, you forgot to include the word count p. 1. Instead of updating this for you, we’d like you to please upload a new version and sit patiently waiting for it to convert to PDF yet again. Oh and we still might desk reject. Me: 😩 #AcademicSky
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 25/11/2024
Interesting new data from MN. It’s clear that most 340B dollars go to hospitals, not safety net providers. But it’s also important to be clear that eliminating or restraining 340B would help drug manufacturers and hurt hospitals… but it probably would NOT bring down drug prices. #healthpolicy 💊📈💸
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 22/11/2024
Re-upping this starter pack of prescription drug #healthpolicy all stars. Some new names added. Who am I missing?
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
New from @portalresearch.org led by Matt Martin, Sarah Gabriele and Sean Tu: characteristics of inventors on government-linked drug patents: most are well-funded senior researchers at top-tier institutions; in JAMA jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Academic Inventors on Government-Linked US Drug Patents
This study examines the characteristics of academic researchers who obtained US government–linked drug patents.
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL) @handle.invalid · 21/11/2024
📣PORTAL is hiring! 📣 There are less than 2 weeks left to apply for our Postdoctoral and General Medicine Fellowships, both with a focus on pharmaceutical law, health policy, and health services research. Apply by December 1, 2024. Learn more: mailchi.mp/3e02f38a708b/portal-hiring-2025
mailchi.mp
Deadline Approaching - Join the PORTAL Team!
Apply by December 1, 2024 to be a PORTAL Postdoctoral or General Medicine Fellow. We are also accepting applications for a Faculty Member in Health Policy or Health Services Research.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 21/11/2024
🎙️New NEJM audio interview recapping where we are with Medicare price negotiation and how to think about the results from the first 10 drugs. #healthpolicy #medsky @portalresearch.bsky.social www.nejm.org/do/10.1056/N...
nejm.org
Interview with Benjamin Rome on the results of the initial round of drug-price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act. | NEJM
Audio Interview from the New England Journal of Medicine — Interview with Benjamin Rome on the results of the initial round of drug-price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Check out the new NEJM audio interview with @bnrome.bsky.social about the outcomes and future prospects of Medicare drug price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act after 1 year - from @portalresearch.bsky.social: www.nejm.org/do/10.1056/N...
nejm.org
Interview with Benjamin Rome on the results of the initial round of drug-price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act. | NEJM
Audio Interview from the New England Journal of Medicine — Interview with Benjamin Rome on the results of the initial round of drug-price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 19/11/2024
Everyone at #HealthPolicy this week as we read the news.
media.tenor.com
a man says but you are not serious people in a dark room
Alt: Quote from Succession: But you are not serious people
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Aaron Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
New from @portalresearch.bsky.social incl Dan Carpenter and @wbfeldman.bsky.social: Reviewing how political actors can undermine public vaccine confidence by studying case of COVID19 vaccine roll-out...and how effects can persist. See doi.org/10.1215/0361...
doi.org
Does Policy Uncertainty Boost Vaccine Hesitancy? Political Controversy, the FDA and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Fall 2020 | Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law | Duke University Press
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 16/11/2024
How can clinicians help their patients afford costly medications?? 💊💰 In a recent JAMA review, we outlined an algorithm and talk about the pros and cons of several options, including copay cards, pharmacy coupons, and more. #Medsky 🩺📊 @portalresearch.bsky.social jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Algorithm for How to Assist Patients With Unaffordable Prescription Drug Costs
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 16/11/2024
Sure, RFK Jr has a few good ideas, like restricting pharmaceutical advertising and focusing on root causes of disease… But any good ideas he has will be thoroughly rejected by the Republican majority in Congress. 🛟
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Reposted by Ben Rome
Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL) @handle.invalid · 13/11/2024
👋 PORTAL is now on Bluesky! Follow us for the latest research from our team on prescription drug pricing, regulation, law, and policy. And, to get PORTAL research directly in your inbox each month, subscribe to our newsletter: eepurl.com/iQSXmU #healthpolicy #rxsky #medsky #lawsky #econsky
Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL) | Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 13/11/2024
PORTAL is now officially here in the sky! Follow our research from our official account! 🩺📊
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 13/11/2024
OK #healthpolicy sky, I started to put together a list of some great people working on US prescription drug policy. FDA regulation. Prices. Affordability and access. 💊💰📊 Who did I miss?? go.bsky.app/JgBuEys
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 11/11/2024
Step 1 - Big political event. Step 2 - Elon reminds everyone what X is all about these days. Step 3 - A bunch more people migrate to Blue Sky. Step 4 - Repeat. Welcome! Follow me to learn about prescription drug prices #healthpolicy.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 14/03/2024
🚨New in JAMA🚨 BIDMC resident Ben Liu and I found that 1 in 5 state Medicaid programs cover 1+ antiobesity meds. Use of GLP1 agonists is skyrocketing 📈 If we want equitable access to these drugs, we need to contend with their enormous cost. 💰 #healthpolicy
jamanetwork.com
State Medicaid Coverage and Reimbursement of Antiobesity Medications
This study examines state Medicaid coverage policies for antiobesity medications and their trends in Medicaid reimbursement from 2011 to 2022.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 22/01/2024
I mean, printed information WOULD be nice, if the labeling information being provided was actually useful to patients in displaying risks and benefits. Long lists of “side effects” don’t really help anyone. #healthpolicy www.statnews.com/2024/01/22/p...
statnews.com
Some countries are moving to digital prescription drug information for patients. The U.S. shouldn’...
Some countries are moving to digital prescription drug information for patients. The U.S. shouldn’t follow suit.
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Anna Kaltenboeck @annakal.bsky.social · 01/12/2023
In a recent Health Affairs Forefront post, National Pharmaceutical Council put forward cherry-picked examples to argue that Medicare negotiation will harm incentives to innovate. The problem: their own examples show the opposite. Here’s our response. @dusetzinas.bsky.social @bnrome.bsky.social
healthaffairs.org
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 28/11/2023
🚨New paper🚨 in JAMA Neurology led by HMS ⭐️ John Kim. We found that Medicare and Medicaid paid 4-8x higher prices for ocrelizumab than rituximab… despite no compelling data that it’s any more effective for treating MS. Billions in potential savings 💰#healthpolicy
jamanetwork.com
Potential Medicare and Medicaid Savings on Anti-CD20 Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
This cross-sectional study compares price data for ocrelizumab and rituximab to estimate the savings to Medicare and Medicaid if rituximab were used in the trea
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 22/11/2023
I live for being congratulated by my EHR. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 20/11/2023
But did Microsoft agree to hire them?? Was that part of the deal bringing in Altman?
nytimes.com
Threat of OpenAI Staff Exodus Leaves Its Future Uncertain
With more than 700 of OpenAI’s nearly 800 staff members saying they might head to Microsoft, prospects for the A.I. start-up aren’t rosy. The industry could experience second-order effects, too.
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Ben Rome @benro.me · 13/11/2023
Net prices for weight loss GLP1s will come down now that there’s competition between Novo & Lilly. But competition isn’t an on/off switch. A duopoly is only marginally better than a monopoly. E.g. 3+ generics are needed to see real price reductions. www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/... #healthpolicy
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