Reference Pricing Could Negatively Affect Vulnerable Populations

Some countries use QALYs (Quality-Adjusted Life Years) to assess whether or not to use a treatment or prescription drug. The authors note this approach would bring negative consequences for people with chronic illness, people with disabilities, and older individuals in the United States.

“According to a 2019 report from the National Council on Disability, the use of the QALY in many foreign countries to inform benefits and coverage decisions has limited access to lifesaving medications for people with disabilities and those with chronic illnesses. Foreign reference pricing policies would bring QALYs, and the access barriers that come with them, to the U.S.” Read more here.

(Source: Value Our Health, 2021)