What the Farquaad?! Trump's Trying to Fix Drug Prices?

Trump's Swamp Drain... Of Drug Prices?

Alright alright settle down! Shrek here reporting live from my swamp where the only thing higher than the humidity is apparently the price of medicine in America. Seems Farquaad... uh I mean President Trump is at it again trying to wrestle those drug prices down. He's signed some fancy executive order saying he'll tie our prices to those in other countries. Claims it'll bring 'fairness' – whatever *that* is – and cut prices by like 59%. Sounds like a tall tale even for Donkey!

Europe's Laughing All the Way to the Pharmacy

Apparently we Yanks are paying through the nose for these pills. This Emily Field lady from Barclays says it plain as day: 'Americans pay more for drugs than Europeans. Full stop. That is correct.' They got government folks haggling with the drug companies like I haggle with those three blind mice trying to sell me swamp flavored snacks. Here it's all private insurers and some shadowy figures called 'pharmacy benefit managers' or PBMs. Sounds like a bunch of dragon slayers if you ask me...but it seems like they increase the cost instead of saving it!

Generic? More Like Generally Awesome!

Now before you start sharpening your pitchforks it ain't all ogre sized doom and gloom. Turns out those generic drugs – the ones without the fancy labels – are actually cheaper here than in other places. Go figure! Almost 90% of all prescriptions in the US are generics so we aren't completely being swindled just mostly. Like an onion it has layers and they all make you cry!

The PBMs: Shrek's Next 'SomeBODY'?

Trump's got his sights set on these PBMs wants to 'cut out the middlemen'. Seems like everyone's finally realizing these guys might be lining their pockets while we're coughing up a lung to pay for our meds. I'm all for thinning the herd but I smell a bureaucratic stink worse than my morning breath – and that's saying something.

30 Days to Save Us All?

So Trump's giving these drug companies 30 days to play nice and lower prices. Otherwise 'some of you may die but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.' Sounds like he's ready to bring out the big guns if they don't 'make progress'. But let's be honest these companies got more lawyers than I got warts. This ain't over 'til the fat lady sings... and she's probably got a prescription for something expensive.

This Plan Ain't Going Nowhere Fast

The real question is will any of this actually work? Last time Trump tried something like this the courts shut him down faster than you can say 'gingerbread man'. This 'most favored nation' thing? Probably needs a whole new law. And you know how fast Congress moves... slower than Donkey trying to climb a beanstalk. Color me skeptical but I'll believe it when I see it... and when the swamp prices go down!