U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) pressed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for information on Tuesday about what impact the recent EpiPen price hikes have had on government prescription drug costs.
In a letter to CMS, Ayotte wrote that EpiPen manufacturer Mylan Pharmaceutical’s recent steps to offset the cost to consumers of the life-saving device “do not go far enough to solve the problem.”
“While I’m calling on CMS for answers about the impact this price hike has had on the government’s prescription drug costs, I also continue to support Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley’s efforts to get more information and believe a thorough investigation of Mylan should be initiated,” Ayotte said. “I also support the Senate Aging Committee’s calls for a briefing from Mylan and call on the FDA to more quickly expedite the availability of safe and effective generic versions of the EpiPen.”
Although Mylan Pharmaceuticals announced that it would release a generic version of the EpiPen at a price of $300, Ayotte wrote, the action appears to have only come as a result of public outcry.
“However, I am concerned that there are still further questions Mylan must answer regarding why the price was so high in the first place, and whether this move will be enough to make this life-saving drug accessible to those who need it most, as well as its impact on the government’s prescription drug costs,” Ayotte wrote.
Ayotte requested information about the impact of Mylan’s price changes on Medicare Part D, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program since the company acquired the EpiPen in 2007.