NEWS
Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Red, Blue, and Swing States
From both a public health and economic perspective, the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on our country. More than 210,000 people have died, more than 435,000 individuals have been hospitalized, and more than 10 million jobs have been lost nationally. The US economy was 10 percent smaller in June than it was last December and is not projected to fully recover until some point in 2021 at the earliest.
Trump Roils Markets with Conflicting Statements on Pandemic Relief
“‘I think it creates confusion for the negotiators. Republicans on the Hill are looking for a signal from the president. They are looking for leadership on this, and he’s oscillating,’ Brill said.”
Ending Prescription Drug ‘Product Hopping’ Could Save $4.7 Billion Annually
“The report finds that extending patents on just those five drugs [Prilosec, TriCor, Suboxone, Doryx, and Namenda] will result in a cost to the U.S. health care system of $4.7 billion annually—money that in theory could have been saved if the drugs had been available in a generic form.”
A Deal for Coronavirus Fiscal Relief
We recently had the honor of testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on the effects of inaction on coronavirus fiscal legislation. One of us was invited by the Republicans and the other by the Democrats. The basis of the hearing was the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion bill that passed the House in the spring on a party line vote with about $1 trillion in tax cuts and $2 trillion in new spending.
Brand-name Drugmaker Tactic ‘Product Hopping’ Costs US Healthcare System $4.7 Billion Annually, Study Says
“An anti-competitive tactic used by brand-name drugmakers called product hopping costs the U.S. healthcare system at least $4.7 billion annually, according to a study from Matrix Global Advisors.”
New Report Shows Brand Drug Product Hopping Costs Billions for Patients and Healthcare System Each Year
Report details five instances of product hopping that collectively cost $4.7 billion annually.
Families Need More Pandemic Tax Relief, Democrats Say
“But Alex Brill of the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute said Congress shouldn’t approve more costly economic recovery payments because they aren’t well targeted toward households directly impacted by the pandemic.”
Efficient and Targeted Tax Policy During the Coronavirus Pandemic
My testimony begins with an overview of the economic impact of the pandemic and our current economic situation.
Demand for FDA Action Amid Shuffle
“That’s an impossible bar to clear, writes Alex Brill, an economist with Matrix Global Advisors and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, in a new report sponsored by the PBM lobby Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.”
New MGA Report on the Negative Economic Impact of Restricting Drug Rebates in Medicare Part D
Matrix Global Advisors (MGA) today released a new report, “Negative Economic Impact of Restricting Drug Rebates in Medicare Part D,” by MGA founder and CEO Alex Brill. The report looks at a July 2020 Executive Order on prescription drug rebates that invokes a proposed regulatory change President Trump withdrew a year earlier.
US Chamber of Commerce Launches Campaign to Defend Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
“The Chamber of Commerce cites a new report from economic policy consulting firm Matrix Global Advisors on the negative economic effects of expanded Medicare and a public option.”
New MGA Report on the Negative Economic Effects of Medicare Buy-In and Public Option Proposals
Matrix Global Advisors (MGA) today released a new report, “The Negative Economic Effects of Medicare Buy-In and Public Option Proposals,” by MGA founder and CEO Alex Brill.
COVID-19 and Nursing Homes: National Updates and Early Evidence on the Second Wave
Evidence from the initial coronavirus outbreaks within the United States has shown that the fate of nursing home residents is tightly linked to the severity of the virus within the nursing home’s state. With a “second wave” of COVID-19 in many southern states and a host of policy changes, it is worth investigating whether the evidence suggests this vulnerable group is now better protected.
Toward a Better Employee Retention Tax Credit
Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress have staked out positions on expanding the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), a refundable tax credit that provides temporary wage support to help employers retain or rehire workers.
A Tax Incentive, Not a Spending Program, to Boost Employment
Congress faces several critical choices before departing for their August recess. Should the $600-per-week additional unemployment insurance (UI) benefit (which has resulted in five of six workers earning more in unemployment benefits than wages) be extended, modified, or allowed to expire at the end of July?