Trump to Drop Call for Medicare to Negotiate Lower Drug Prices

[K1052]

President Trump will lay out on Friday a broad strategy to reduce prescription drug prices, but in a break from one of his most popular campaign promises, he will not call for Medicare to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers, senior administration officials said.

The White House will issue a blueprint that represents “the most comprehensive plan to tackle prescription drug affordability of any president,” a senior official told journalists on Thursday night.

Asked if the plan would include direct negotiations by Medicare, the official said, “No, we are talking about something different.”

So much for that.

The administration will, as expected, put pressure on foreign countries to relax drug price controls, in the belief that pharmaceutical companies can then lower prices in the United States.

LOL

As a presidential candidate, Mr. Trump supported two ideas that are anathema to the pharmaceutical industry: allowing Medicare officials to negotiate prices and allowing consumers to import prescription drugs from Canada and certain other countries where brand-name drug prices are generally lower than in the United States.

But top administration officials, like Alex M. Azar II, the secretary of health and human services, and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, strenuously oppose those ideas. Republicans argue that the federal government has such overwhelming power as a buyer that it could basically set a price that manufacturers would have to comply with.

We figured out it would actually work but drug companies wouldn't like it so we're not going to do it.

https://nyti.ms/2G773jo

 

[dank69]

Every single day a new reason to hate conservatives. Relax drug price controls? Let's watch how many conservatives believe that bullshit.

 

[feralkid]

That's great, just great, really great.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

I know Canada will be all over increasing the drug prices that we pay. Especially since we have now made prescriptions free for any person under 24 years of age.

 

[fskimospy]

It makes sense! If the US pushes other countries to pay more for drugs then the drug companies will naturally reduce prices here to thank us. They would never just pocket the extra money and continue as usual. Never!

 

[obidamnkenobi]

I never understood the push to let medicare to negotiate prices. To negotiate something you have to be prepared to say no. But what kind of outrage would there be if people on medicare were denied certain, effective (and expensive) drugs? And probably a drug that few, very sick people need. Media would go nuts with photos of grandma dying because medicare "negotiate" away her drugs! The system sure is messed up, but this never seem like a good idea that could go anywhere.

 

[fskimospy]

I never understood the push to let medicare to negotiate prices. To negotiate something you have to be prepared to say no. But what kind of outrage would there be if people on medicare were denied certain, effective (and expensive) drugs? And probably a drug that few, very sick people need. Media would go nuts with photos of grandma dying because medicare "negotiate" away her drugs! The system sure is messed up, but this never seem like a good idea that could go anywhere.

The national health services of every other developed country in the world is able to negotiate on drug prices so I tend to doubt America would be uniquely unable to do so.

 

[UNCjigga]

It makes sense! If the US pushes other countries to pay more for drugs then the drug companies will naturally reduce prices here to thank us. They would never just pocket the extra money and continue as usual. Never!

Yup, totally. Just like the tax cuts--trickle down all the way.

PBS: "Funding for this batshit was provided by Novartis and Michael Cohen".

 

[K1052]

I never understood the push to let medicare to negotiate prices. To negotiate something you have to be prepared to say no. But what kind of outrage would there be if people on medicare were denied certain, effective (and expensive) drugs? And probably a drug that few, very sick people need. Media would go nuts with photos of grandma dying because medicare "negotiate" away her drugs! The system sure is messed up, but this never seem like a good idea that could go anywhere.

The VA actually does this very thing. If you can't say no then you lose leverage.

 

[Stokely]

His base will continue to love him even as he continues to show--without even attempting to hide it--that he completely used them to get elected. They know deep down that Hillary and illegal aliens are the cause of higher drug prices.

 

[Chromagnus]

Maybe Novartis' payments to Cohen weren't so worthless after all.

 

[Brainonska511]

I never understood the push to let medicare to negotiate prices. To negotiate something you have to be prepared to say no. But what kind of outrage would there be if people on medicare were denied certain, effective (and expensive) drugs? And probably a drug that few, very sick people need. Media would go nuts with photos of grandma dying because medicare "negotiate" away her drugs! The system sure is messed up, but this never seem like a good idea that could go anywhere.

In some countries, if there are two drugs available for a condition and similar mechanisms of action, they both might be approved for use, but only one would be reimbursed. That's one way of controlling costs. Another is that many countries restrict off-label use: no reimbursement for drugs used outside of their approved indication. These are two common ways countries keep costs down.

Meanwhile, Medicare reimbursement follows clinical care guidelines, which are broader than approved indications, and thus you get a broader array of reimbursement in the US, which in one way can contribute to costs.

There would certainly be outrage if Medicare said no to someone, but we already had that situation for everyone else. Private insurers keep drugs off their formularies all the time...

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Looks like another Obama legacy is in potential jeopardy...that being his backroom deal with Big Pharma.

 

[fskimospy]

Looks like another Obama legacy is in potential jeopardy...that being his backroom deal with Big Pharma.

Yeah, Trump breaking his campaign promise and continuing to use Medicare to line the pockets of drug companies will sure teach Obama. Lol.

 

[Chromagnus]

It took a whole 13 posts before something bad Trump did got tied to Obama or Hillary, that might be a new record for political.

 

[fskimospy]

Honest question: is there a single Trump promise to help regular people that he has not broken at this point? He did exactly what everyone knew he would do, turn around and throw money at rich people while screwing over the dupes dumb enough to vote for him.

 

[Chromagnus]

Honest question: is there a single Trump promise to help regular people that he has not broken at this point? He did exactly what everyone knew he would do, turn around and throw money at rich people while screwing over the dupes dumb enough to vote for him.

Most people did see a reduction in their taxes. Granted the wealthy received substantially more reduction and it may come at a long term cost but I think it's fairly safe to say that he kept his promise on reducing taxes for the average American.

 

[K1052]

Most people did see a reduction in their taxes. Granted the wealthy received substantially more reduction and it may come at a long term cost but I think it's fairly safe to say that he kept his promise on reducing taxes for the average American.

Though that kinda runs headlong into his claims that he'd eliminate the national debt...

 

[fskimospy]

Most people did see a reduction in their taxes. Granted the wealthy received substantially more reduction and it may come at a long term cost but I think it's fairly safe to say that he kept his promise on reducing taxes for the average American.

You realize his tax bill RAISES taxes on the average person long term, right? Giving people a tiny tax cut for a couple years in exchange for a permanent tax increase is not helping the average person by any reasonable standard.

Also, the deficits caused by that middle class tax increase/rich and corporate massive tax cut is already being used as a justification to cut spending that benefits regular people. It’s a total scam.

 

[dank69]

Looks like another Obama legacy is in potential jeopardy...that being his backroom deal with Big Pharma.

Which legacy are you talking about?

 

[UNCjigga]

Looks like another Obama legacy is in potential jeopardy...that being his backroom deal with Big Pharma.

Joe Lieberman says hi.

 

[hal2kilo]

Maybe Novartis' payments to Cohen weren't so worthless after all.

We'll see how effective it is when the AT&T Time Warner merger gets approved. Bezos should have kicked in some money, then Trump wouldn't be harassing him about some bullshit Post Office mail deal.

 

[hal2kilo]

Honest question: is there a single Trump promise to help regular people that he has not broken at this point? He did exactly what everyone knew he would do, turn around and throw money at rich people while screwing over the dupes dumb enough to vote for him.

It's sadly down to this. Yea, but Hillary.

 

[sandorski]

The secret to good propaganda is to not succumb to actually believing it. High Drug Prices exist in the US because Americans pay them. That is the only reason.

 

[Chromagnus]

You realize his tax bill RAISES taxes on the average person long term, right? Giving people a tiny tax cut for a couple years in exchange for a permanent tax increase is not helping the average person by any reasonable standard.

Also, the deficits caused by that middle class tax increase/rich and corporate massive tax cut is already being used as a justification to cut spending that benefits regular people. It’s a total scam.

I'm well aware of what was in the tax bill but I don't think trump claimed he would lower people's taxes forever. During his presidency most people will see lower taxes. For the record I don't think this is a good thing but I think most people think he completed that promise.

He also promised to be tougher on trade as a mechanism for helping the average American and he has done that as well. A lot of his promises to help the average American were stupid and counter productive but he has done some of them.