Trump Wants 250% Drug Tariffs
President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of up to 250 percent on pharmaceutical imports, higher than the 200% discussed before. Tariffs would be minimal at first, but increase in 12 to 18 months to 150% and eventually 250%. Trump is seeking drug makers to re-shore production, but supply chains and other barriers make re-shoring completely very difficult. Tariffs would cause healthcare costs to spiral given our reliance on generics and brands from foreign countries.
#drugpricing #trump #tariffs
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5436846-drug-import-tariffs-trump/
FTC Session Looks At High Drug Prices
While pharmacy benefits managers (PBM) were a key focus of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) listening session on high drug prices, it is clear that a great deal more drives obsene drug costs in America. The session concluded that a labyrinthine and opaque drug channel, a lack of transparency, patent thickets and other abuses also play a major role.
In other news, transparent PBM Navitus Health Solutions will use cost-plus pricing at Costco Pharmacy for select prescriptions.
Additional article: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/alternative-pbm-navitus-enables-cost-plus-pricing-costco
#drugpricing #branddrugmakers #ftc
https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/washington-watch/116843
Insurers Pulling Back On Medicare Advantage
Becker’s Payer has a good article on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans pulling back on MA given huge cost pressures and margin concerns. A number of plans pulled back from certain geographies, products, and benefits in 2025. Many could do so again for 2025. UnitedHealthcare just announced it would seek to shed some 600,000 members in 2026 using similar strategies.
#medicareadvantage #margins #healthplans
CMS Wants Voluntary GLP-1 Coverage Pilot For Obesity
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is unveiling a voluntary program where Medicaid and Medicare Advantage health plans could cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity on a voluntary basis. The program would begin in April 2026 for Medicaid and January 2027 for Part D plans. The Trump administration killed a Biden proposal to make such coverage mandatory in both programs due to a $35 billion price tag over ten years. Thirteen Medicaid states already cover the drug for obesity.
#glp1s #weightlossdrugs #medicare #medicaid #partd
https://www.beckerspayer.com/payer/cms-pitches-glp-1-coverage-experiment-for-medicare-medicaid
— Marc S. Ryan
