oncology — Lanton Law Blog

Arizona passes new law requiring insurers to cover cancer biomarker tests

Arizona has enacted HB 2144 seen here which requires health care insurers, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and its contractors to provide coverage for biomarker testing. Prescribes processes and requirements for the usage and coverage of biomarker testing.

biomarker, oncology, HHS, FDA, CMS, healthcare, insurance, life sciences, pharmaceuticalsRon LantonMay 9, 2022biomarker, Arizona, biomarker testing, cancer, oncology

Pharmacy Focus: Oncology Edition - A Conversation About Biden's Cancer Moonshot Program

In the first episode of Pharmacy Focus: Oncology Edition, the Times spoke with Ron Lanton, JD, principal at Lanton Law. Although it is still too early to know how the program differs from private-sector efforts to improve cancer treatments, Lanton said the program has some interesting goals and approaches.

cancer, HHS, life sciences, healthcare, Pharmacy TimesRon LantonApril 18, 2022oncology, Pharmacy Times, Pharmacy Focus: Oncology Edition, Cancer Moonshot Initiative, President Joe Biden

Cancer Moonshot Initiative Returns

In 2017 we wrote an article that previewed the Cancer Moonshot Initiative (CMI). It was a widespread belief that with Joe Biden becoming President that the CMI would return in some capacity. Today, the White House issued a Fact Sheet that has reginited this policy effort.

Biosimilars, biologics, CMS, healthcare, HHS, oncology, pharmaceuticalsRon LantonFebruary 2, 2022Cancer Moonshot Initiative, President Joe Biden, oncology, Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

CURES 2.0 Biomedical Legislation Introduced Into Congress

U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI) are back as they recently introduced their long anticipated and bipartisan Cures 2.0 legislation. The bill is discussed via Congresswoman DeGette’s press release.

Illumina Acquires Grail

According to the press release, Illumina announced that it has acquired GRAIL.

biologics, biometric, biotech, biotechnology, cancer, genome, genomic testing, technology, pharmaceuticals, specialty pharmacyRon LantonAugust 20, 2021Illumina, Grail, Galleri test, cancer, oncology, genomic testing, genome, COVID-19

New Louisiana Law Bans White Bagging

The Governor has enacted Act No. 50 effective June 1, which seeks to ban “white bagging” in the state. White bagging is when a drug is delivered from an insurer’s preferred pharmacy to a physician’s office. This new law which is the first of its kind in the country provides that insurers cannot refuse to pay for physician-administered drugs to covered patients. Similar legislation has been seen in Massachusetts, New York and Texas.

oncology, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy benefit manager, physician, healthcare, hospitals, prescription drug costsRon LantonJune 17, 2021oncology, cancer, specialty pharmacy, white bagging, insurer, Louisiana

Update on FTC Administrative Complaint Against Illumina

Lanton Law has been monitoring the developments around the FTC’s administrative complaint against Illumina on marketplace competition concerns. We have recently shared an industry blog about this issue.

biotechnology, cancer, FTC, healthcareRon LantonJune 2, 2021Illumina, liquid biopsy, GRAIL, cancer, oncology, FTC

FTC Files Administrative Complaint Against Illumina on Market Competition Concerns

This week the Federal Trade Commission filed an administrative complaint to “block Illumina’s $7.1 billion proposed acquisition of Grail—a maker of a non-invasive, early detection liquid biopsy test that can screen for multiple types of cancer in asymptomatic patients at very early stages using DNA sequencing. Illumina is the only provider of DNA sequencing that is a viable option for these multi-cancer early detection, or MCED, tests in the United States.

FTC, oncology, MCED test, cancerRon LantonMarch 31, 2021Illumina, liquid biopsy, Grail, cancer, oncology, MCED test, FTC, regulatory

New Lanton Law Specialty Drug Blogcast with Ken Kaitin of Tufts University

We are excited to interview Kenneth Kaitin; Professor and Director for the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.

biologics, Biosimilars, healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, CMS, FDA, fintechRon LantonJune 2, 2020orphan drugs, oncology, value based care, innovative payment models, R&D, Boston, Tufts University, Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development

Private Equity Presence Grows in Physician Practices As Well As Congressional Scrutiny

As the consolidation of independent physician practices continues, one finds that there is a new player in the corporatization of medicine. While hospitals, health systems and insurers continue to make physician practice acquisitions, these entities suddenly find themselves competing against private equity firms.

Congress, pharmaceuticals, Medicare, healthcare, physician, Ways and Means Committee, hospitals, insuranceRon LantonFebruary 16, 2020private equity, private equity firms, dermatology, oncology, orthopedics, urology, gastroenterology, physician, reimbursement