President Trump is preparing to issue an executive order that would declare a favored nations clause for drug prices, ensuring the U.S. would not pay higher prices than other countries for prescription medications, CNBC reported.
Trump spoke to reporters outside the White House last week, noting that the clause would require the U.S. to pay the same as the country with the lowest prescription drug prices. Following his statement last week, pharmaceutical stocks took a hit.
The order would mirror a proposed rule from HHS to based Medicare payments on an international pricing index, which would set payment for drugs at a target of 126% of what other countries pay.
Trump also recently issued an executive order at the end of June to enable HHS to require hospitals and insurers to disclose negotiated rates for healthcare services, as well as disclose out-of-pocket costs to patients before their procedures. Not all of Trump’s attempts to lower drug prices have been successful. A federal judge recently blocked an HHS rule that would require drugmakers to publish the list prices of drugs in TV ads.
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