Federal Drug Prices: Effects of Opening the Pharmaceutical Schedule Are Uncertain

GAO discussed its recent report on the potential implications for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other government purchasers of opening the federal supply schedule (FSS) for pharmaceuticals to state and local governments, focusing on the factors that could affect schedule price negotiations between VA and drug manufacturers if the pharmaceutical schedule was opened, as well as the opening's potential effects on the schedule prices that would be available to federal, state, and local government purchasers.