217 Today: Medicare will begin historic negotiations with pharma to reduce drug prices.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Today's headlines: 

• A Lake County, Illinois judge is denying motions to dismiss the criminal case against the father of the alleged gunman in the Highland Park mass shooting.
• As Illinois Covid cases creep upward, Governor J.B. Pritzker is pushing back against what he calls “Facebook Fakery." 
• Many respiratory viruses circulate year-round in the U.S. but they are more active during fall and winter.
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a major point of contention in Congress as lawmakers work to hammer out a farm bill.

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about how for the first time ever, Medicare is set to begin negotiating prices directly with drugmakers.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Xcaret Nuñez, Colin Hislope and Farah Yousry.