Breaking News - Final Senate Legislation

Morning all,

Reid's Senate Healthcare Reform changes made public this snowy morning.  Here's my first take on a very quick look regarding the implications for Pharma:

• Added a medication management requirement to part D. At a minimum plans have to offer compliance enhancing services.   Also an annual review with enrollee regarding all meds with a written report to the enrollee.  This will cost Part D plans but should prove to be some sort of a gain for enhanced Pharma revenue.  (See Page 221 of this link)  More thoughts later on the significance of this! (note that these are changes to the so called Medication Therapy Act of 2009)
  
• Establishment of a National Diabetes Prevention Program
• "Botax" on Comestic medical procedures replaced by a tanning salon tax
• Did not see any changes to the Medicare Part D Donut Hole on first quick run through of the changes. My guess is that this means that The Hill will likely go with the House version of closing the gap in the final legislation given Reid's pledge to close the Donut Hole.

That's it for now!  I will try and go through it in a more detialed fashion between snow shoveling!