February 4, 2026 (WASHINGTON, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) applauds the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 and its inclusion of many important health care elements that support efforts to better prevent and manage costly chronic conditions. Notably, the bill will increase transparency and lower health care costs for people living with one or more chronic conditions by instituting much needed reforms for pharmacy benefit managers (

January 28, 2026 (Washington, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement of 15 new drugs selected for price-setting in Initial Price Applicability Year (IPAY) 2028: “Prescription medicines are a cornerstone of chronic disease management for Medicare beneficiaries, the vast majority of whom rely on one or more medications every month to maintain their hea

Chronic conditions are the primary driver of rising U.S. health care spending across Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance, a new study from the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) detailed last week. Costs are highly concentrated among patients living with three or more chronic conditions, and obesity plays a central role . PFCD Chair Kenneth Thorpe, PhD., and Peter Joski authored the new research report , which is particularly relevant leading up to two House hea

January 14, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) today released a new research report, “ The Association of Obesity and Chronic Conditions Treated as it Relates to the Growth in Health Care Spending by Source of Insurance, 2011–2022 ,”  by PFCD Chair Kenneth E. Thorpe and Peter J. Joski. The report finds that the increasing prevalence of obesity and multiple chronic conditions is the dominant force behind rising health care spending across M

December 19, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement today in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement of mandatory demonstration projects that would implement Most Favored Nation (MFN) drug pricing in Medicare Parts B and D: “PFCD remains opposed to a MFN approach to drug price-setting that would import foreign price controls, threaten patient access, pose ethical concerns,

Multiple Chronic Conditions a Key Driver of Unsustainable Spending Growth December 18, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) New national and state data released today by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) projects that chronic disease is on pace to cost the United States as much as $47 trillion between 2024 and 2039, including $2.2 trillion annually in medical costs and nearly $900 billion each year in lost productivity by 2039 . The analysis, conducted by GlobalData, highli

December 5, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response to the introduction of the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Price Transparency and Accountability Act:   “The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) applauds Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo and Ranking Member Ron Wyden for introducing the bipartisan Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Price Transparency and Accountability Act , which aim

More than half of American adults manage multiple chronic conditions . The prevalence is enough to strain the U.S. healthcare system and challenge patient access to new treatments. To compound the issue, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and others siphon nearly half of every dollar spent on brand-name drugs, driving up costs for patients. Reform for how Americans access drugs is a primary topic in Washington. Of the two trending options on the table, only one puts patients fi

Becoming a new mother is often described as one of life’s most extraordinary experiences. Yet for many women, the period following childbirth is also marked by profound physical, emotional, and systemic challenges. As chronic diseases become increasingly common contributors to maternal complications and mortality, understanding and addressing the broader social determinants of health is essential to addressing the realities, especially those facing Black mothers and their bab

November 26, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) announcement of the “maximum fair prices” for the 15 drugs selected for Medicare price-setting in 2027 under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): “Nearly 88% of U.S. adults aged 65+ rely on prescription medicines monthly, with 40% using five or more. When considering how best to improve overal

November 25, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) issued the following statement in response to the introduction of the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, legislation co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) to empower Medicare to cover FDA-approved blood-based biomarker tests for

The U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other nation, but that doesn’t mean it overspends on medicine.   According to the new IQVIA  Drug Expenditure Dynamics 2000 - 2022  report, 15% of America’s overall healthcare spending is allocated to drug expenditures. That percentage was also the average among the 12 developed countries IQVIA studied.   This means the U.S., when accounting for its overall healthcare spending, is not an outlier in how much it spends on drugs. By co

Nov. 12, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) announcement of a new demonstration through the CMS Innovation Center, the GENErating cost Reductions fOr US Medicaid (GENEROUS) Model: “Given PFCD’s well-documented opposition to importing foreign price controls, we have strong concerns about CMS’s proposed GENEROUS Model, which would tie Medica

Medicare Open Enrollment starts this week and changes coming in 2026 warrant close consideration. Many will face fewer choices and higher costs, particularly for people who rely on traditional Medicare and purchase stand-alone prescription drug plans. Slightly less than half of Medicare’s 63 million beneficiaries enroll in traditional or fee-for-service Medicare (Parts A and B) compared to Medicare Advantage plans (Part C). Among rural beneficiaries, traditional Medicare is p

Childhood health lays the foundation for lifelong health, influencing whether adults thrive or struggle with preventable disease. A solid...

Sept. 11, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) has released the following statement in response to the...

By Kenneth Thorpe https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/08/weight-loss-drugs-medi-cal/ California just cut off access to critical anti-obesity drugs for hundreds of thousands of patients. Under the new budget signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Medi-Cal — the state’s Medicaid program — would no longer cover weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Zepbound, unless they’re prescribed to treat diabetes. The measure is intended to promote fiscal responsibility . By cutting this drug cov

August 1, 2025 (Washington, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) issued the following statement in response to...

July 31, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) has issued the following statement in response to the...

There is never a wrong time to talk about mental health. For millions of Americans, the challenge exists daily, shaping how they connect...

The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease opposes the Trump administration’s “Most Favored Nation” drug pricing proposal because it would...

More than 40% of U.S. children and adolescents have at least one chronic health condition , such as asthma, allergies, obesity, and...

By Candace DeMatteis, PFCD Policy Director Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating fatal disease, causing progressive...

May 15, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) today issued the following statement in response to the...

May 12, 2025 (Washington, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD ) issued the following statement in strong opposition to...

There is no ignoring the facts. The United States faces a chronic disease crisis, and the Trump administration is correct to prioritize...

May 5, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) today called on Congressional leaders and the Trump...

FULL VIDEO RECORDING The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: What New Data Tells Us About Access and Cost

April 18, 2025 (Washington, D.C.)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease released the following statement on behalf of PFCD policy...

Successfully addressing the true cost drivers in health care requires policies that recognize the promise of small molecules and stop the...

PFCD Chair Ken Thorpe & the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) invites you to join us for this hybrid event focused on an array...

April 4, 2025 (Washington, D.C.)  – The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response to the...

Results Show Interest in the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Increases as American Seniors Learn More About It April 3, 2025...

Findings Show Upper Payment Limits (UPLs) Could Increase Costs and Restrict Access to Critical Medicines March 31, 2025 (Washington,...

Their coexistence is not coincidental. New data application from a recent study further illuminates the relationship between the two...

January 17, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Today, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response...

Modest weight loss among adults with obesity cuts health care spending by 15%, reduces costs across comorbidities December 5, 2024...

American voters are willing to pay more to ensure access and want Congress to step in if Medicare continues restricting access to...

September 13, 2024 (Washington, DC)  The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD)  released the following statement upon delivery of a...

Case studies highlight peril to treatment advances across several disease states August 14, 2024 (WASHINGTON, DC) The Partnership to...

By Hannah Pfeiffer and Candace DeMatteis June 5, 2024 Boulder Daily Camera   A group of unelected state officials is pondering a decision...

April 2, 2024 (Washington, DC)  Today the  Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD)  released a new white paper, “ Health Plans...

February 1, 2024 (Washington, D.C.)  Today the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) applauded Representatives Greg Murphy (R-NC),...

Findings Published in Health Affairs Forefront Precedent-setting policies to restrict access to accelerated approval drugs do not reduce...

CMS decision harms current and future treatment options for Alzheimer's and other chronic disease populations April 8, 2022 (Washington,...

Lack of cures combined with minimal viable treatments compounds increasing health and caregiving costs   May 27, 2021 (WASHINGTON, D.C.)...

Data support preserving access to accelerated approval drugs for the seriously ill   Commentary in the  American Journal of Managed Care...