Trump Signs Executive Orders on Drug Prices

President Trump on Friday announced four executive orders to lower drug prices, but health policy experts say they will likely provide only minimal relief and may take months to implement, if at all, reports National Public Radio . The most dramatic directive requires Medicare to pay the same price for drugs patients receive in the hospital as part of Medicare Part B that other countries pay — but the pharmaceutical industry has until Aug. 24 to make a deal with the Trump administration before implementation. Some of the orders could have catches that could stall them indefinitely. For example, one directive concerns passing on discounts negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers at the retail counter to Medicare beneficiaries — but one section states that before it can take effect, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services must confirm that the order will trigger increased federal spending, premiums, or patients' total out-of-pocket costs to increase. Since one condition is likely to arise as a result of this order, enactment is unlikely.