As the Coronavirus Spreads, Drug Pricing Legislation Remains Stalled

Prescription medicine use has only intensified during the coronavirus crisis: Express Scripts, a prescription benefit manager with over 100 million customers, saw spikes in March for three-month refills and new prescriptions for conditions associated with higher coronavirus risk.

“The problem has expanded,” said Representative Kim Schrier, Democrat of Washington and a pediatrician.

Because of border restrictions amid the pandemic, Ms. Schrier said, some in her state can no longer drive to Canada to purchase insulin at a fraction of what it costs in the United States. “There’s this fear that we’re going to run out of medications, so people are trying to get more in hand,” she said.

Mr. Mitchell said that his group had observed significant price increases on drugs needed for coronavirus patients, including anticoagulants for blood clots.

“There’s more of a sense of urgency,” said Representative Frank Pallone Jr., Democrat of New Jersey and the main sponsor of the House bill, called H.R. 3, which was given a low number to reflect its top ranking among Democratic priorities. “So many people have lost their jobs. So many people have lost income. They’re more conscious than ever of the price of health care.”

Mr. Grassley’s bill would cap the growth of drug prices in Medicare at inflation level, and impose a $3,100 limit on out-of-pocket costs for tens of millions of seniors and Americans with disabilities enrolled in its drug coverage program. The plan would provide nearly $100 billion in savings, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The House bill goes further in seeking to control the growth of drug costs, calling for the secretary of health and human services to negotiate prices with manufacturers, a provision that is projected to save more than $500 billion over a decade, according to the C.B.O. The House will vote on that provision again as part of a bill it plans to bring to the floor next week to bolster the Affordable Care Act.