Health Payer Intelligence reports that

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) submitted a statement to the House Energy and Commerce Committee opposing current single-payer proposals in the United States.

“Americans are facing an escalating crisis of affordability across our health care system. Cost pressures are becoming more intense for all who pay the tab for health care in the United States, whether they be consumers, employers, or governments,” the organization explained. “AHIP and our members believe that the best way to bring down costs is to improve what’s working and fix what’s not, so that everyone has affordable coverage, access to high-quality care, and control over their health care choices.”

Amen to that.

On the prescription benefit manager front —

• Per Fierce Heathcare, Express Scripts has unveiled the first apps to be added to its curated digital health formulary.  The idea behind the formulary, which other PBMs are adopting, is to “make it easier for health insurers [and self funded employers] to vet the tools for their members, especially as the number of solutions available in the market continues to grow.” The list of ESI approved apps may be found here.   
• Healthcare Dive informs us that CVS Health “unveiled a precision medicine program for oncology patients Thursday designed to increase access to broad-panel gene sequencing tests for patients with specific advanced stage cancers.”