Exploring the patient impact of the unintended consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act: an interview with William Sarraille, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), designed to combat inflation and address economic challenges, has far-reaching effects across multiple sectors, including health care. While many commend the IRA for its positive provisions, such as capping out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D at $2000 and the 'smoothing' provision that allows patients to spread copayments throughout the year, there are concerns about 'unintended consequences'. Specifically, critics worry that the Part D drug 'negotiation' provision could impact drug access, affordability, and innovation, potentially harming patients in both the short and long term. To explore these possible 'unintended consequences' from the patients' perspective, we speak...