Housing Crisis Plans: Will the Netherlands Solve the Housing Shortage?
- De 21-jarige lotta uit Ede volgt met veel belangstelling, en in spanning, de persconferentie van vanmiddag.
- Lotta woont nu nog in een complex van kamers met Kansen, speciaal voor jongeren voor wie thuis wonen geen optie meer is.
- "Als je je inschrijft op woningen, krijg je nauwelijks reactie", legt ze uit.
De 21-jarige lotta uit Ede volgt met veel belangstelling, en in spanning, de persconferentie van vanmiddag. Want over een paar dagen is ze dakloos. “Ik moet 4 februari mijn kamer uit”, vertelt ze. “En ik heb nog geen nieuwe woonplek.Ik hoop dus echt dat het nieuwe kabinet met goede plannen komt om de wooncrisis op te lossen.”
Woning vinden
Table of Contents
Lotta woont nu nog in een complex van kamers met Kansen, speciaal voor jongeren voor wie thuis wonen geen optie meer is. Bewoners krijgen hier 2 jaar de tijd om zelfstandig een woning te vinden. Maar dat is nog niet zo eenvoudig.
“Als je je inschrijft op woningen, krijg je nauwelijks reactie”, legt ze uit. “Je komt eigenlijk onderop de stapel terecht. Bij instanties zoals de gemeente is het enige wat je hoort dat je niet de enige bent. Je wordt naar huis gestuurd met het idee: we kunnen je niet helpen, niemand kan je helpen.”
Weinig hoop
Tussen de ingepakte verhuisdozen in haar kamer kijkt ze naar de presentatie van het nieuwe coalitieakkoord en de plannen voor woningbouw.
“Ik vind het heel mooi zoals Jetten het vertelt, maar om de hoop erin te blijven houden dat je uiteindelijk hierdoor wel een woning kan krijgen… Die hoop is voor mij nog steeds heel laag”, reageert Lotta. “Of het nou echt snel beter gaat worden,dat weet ik gewoon niet.”
The Inflation Reduction Act and Prescription Drug Pricing
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 granted Medicare the authority to negotiate prices for certain high-expenditure prescription drugs, marking a notable shift in U.S. pharmaceutical policy. This negotiation process began in 2023, with the first negotiated prices taking effect in 2026.
For decades, Medicare was prohibited from directly negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, unlike many other developed nations.This prohibition contributed to the high cost of prescription drugs in the United States. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law on august 16, 2022, changed this by allowing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to select drugs for negotiation based on their high Medicare spending.
In the initial negotiation round, CMS selected 10 drugs covered under Medicare Part D and Part B. These drugs included medications for diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and cancer. The first negotiated prices where announced in September 2023, and are expected to save Medicare and beneficiaries an estimated $98 billion over the next decade.
Negotiation Process and Drug Selection
The negotiation process is structured and phased, with CMS engaging in direct discussions with drug manufacturers. The law outlines specific criteria for drug selection, prioritizing those with no generic or biosimilar competition and those that represent the highest Medicare spending.
Drugs are eligible for negotiation if they have been on the market for at least nine years (for small molecule drugs) or 11 years (for biologics). This timeframe is intended to balance cost savings with the need to incentivize pharmaceutical innovation. The CMS website provides detailed information on the negotiation process, including timelines and selected drugs.
Such as, the anticoagulant drug Eliquis (apixaban), manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb, was among the first drugs selected for negotiation. Medicare spent approximately $16.5 billion on Eliquis in 2022, making it a prime candidate for price reduction.The negotiated price for Eliquis is expected to reduce costs for both Medicare and beneficiaries.
Impact on Medicare Beneficiaries
The Inflation Reduction Act’s drug price negotiation provisions directly benefit Medicare beneficiaries by lowering their out-of-pocket costs for select prescription drugs.The savings are phased in over time,with the largest reductions occurring in later years as more drugs become subject to negotiation.
In addition to price negotiation, the Inflation Reduction Act also includes other provisions aimed at lowering drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, such as capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year starting in 2025.The White House fact sheet details these provisions and their projected impact.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 55 million Medicare beneficiaries are expected to benefit from the lower drug prices and the out-of-pocket cap. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the IRA will reduce federal drug spending by $101.4 billion over ten years.
legal Challenges and Industry Response
The pharmaceutical industry has actively challenged the Inflation reduction Act’s drug price negotiation provisions in court, arguing that they violate the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause and due process rights. Several lawsuits have been filed by industry groups, including the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
PhRMA argues that the negotiation process effectively forces companies to surrender intellectual property rights without just compensation. The PhRMA press release outlines their legal arguments and concerns about the impact of the law on pharmaceutical innovation.
As of January 30, 2026, the legal challenges are ongoing, with rulings expected from various federal courts.The Biden management has defended the law,arguing that it is a necessary step to lower drug costs for Americans and improve access to affordable healthcare. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the case in the spring of 2024, with a decision anticipated by June 2024.