US Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Susan Collins of Maine are teaming up to try and combat the rising cost of insulin. The Insulin Price Reduction Act is a bill being put together in the Senate to combat the rising costs for the drug which they say has quadrupled in out-of-pocket costs since 2007. The bill would prohibit rebates going to Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) for insulin unless the pharmacy dropped their price for the drug to pre-2007 levels. It would also require that PBMs and insurers waive the deductible for any insulin product that meets the listed price reduction requirements each year. In announcing the bill Shaheen said, “Rebates have been a significant factor in what’s driving insulin prices higher, but we know we cannot simply restrict rebates with no strings attached for big pharma – there needs to be accountability.” Collins stated she was committed to making the cost of insulin more affordable and said she sees the bill as a necessary step towards that end.

Vail Resorts has announced that they have entered a merger to acquire all the stock of Peak Resorts. The acquisition means that Vail is adding 17 ski resorts to their network including Attitash, Wildcat, and Crotched Mountains. Chairman and Chief Executive of Vail Resorts said in the press release, “We’re thrilled to welcome the resorts and their employees into the Vail Resorts family and invest in their continued success.” In the same release President and Chief Executive Officer of Peak Resorts, Timothy Boyd said, “Vail Resorts has a proven track record of celebrating the unique identity of its resorts, while continually investing in the guest and employee experience. For this reason, we are confident that our resorts and employees will continue to thrive within the Vail Resorts network.” If or when the merger is completed, Vail’s epic passes will include access to all the newly acquired ski resorts as well as their previously owned ones.