The New Tariff Conversation

[Thorgalaeg]

One of my eye drops costs $700+ for 3 months supply from my local CVS. The exact same bottle, when purchased through a Canadian Pharmacy and shipped from Asia costs $82 for 3 months supply.

$82 is probably high too but not that far from real market price. In US monopolies and pharmalobbies stablishing ridiculously high prices to abuse ill people who needs the drugs yes or yes while allowed by the government is one of the most monstrous things imaginable. In any other country it would lead to popular uprising.

 

[Akka]

From what is said in the text, there is nothing about forcing other countries to change their price, it just says that the law wants for the USA to align the price of a drug on the cheapest one found in the world.
No idea if it's doable, but for once it's actually a good idea on paper.

 

[Snowygerry]

Might be difficult without socialized health insurance - since people here do not pay the full price, only fraction, the rest is paid for by common insurance.

Joining a mutual fund: your compulsory health insurance! - Commissioner Brussels Europe & International

Joining a mutual health insurance fund (mutuelle or ziekenfonds) is an essential part of life in Belgium, as it guarantees access to health coverage.

www.commissioner.brussels

In Belgium, compulsory insurance is a nearly universal system of basic insurance coverage that covers a large part of your medical expenses. Anyone living in Belgium (and that includes expats) must take out this insurance as soon as they move or start to work here.

Compulsory insurance covers a large share of people’s healthcare costs, such as a doctor’s visit, hospitalisation and certain other medical services. The payment of various benefits (sickness, incapacity for work, maternity, etc.) is also included.

The reason this Trump plan sounds good compared to others is because it is absolutely not a tariff, rather a government enforced maximum price, almost communism, definitely socialism

Also it requires an expanded bureaucratic system to set and control prices, negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, medical unions etc. something that runs contrary to the philosophy of the Trump government.

 

[Verbose]

Also it requires an expanded bureaucratic system to set and control prices, negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, medical unions etc. something that runs contrary the philosophy of the Trump government.

Do we really think that will happen?

Maybe more like some guys turn up and go: "NIce pharmaceutical company you get there. Would he a shame if something happened to it."

 

[Snowygerry]

We'll know when US posters here report that their medical costs have dropped dramatically after the signing of this presidential order,

and then we'll wonder why no US president before thought of writing such a brilliant presidential order

 

[EnglishEdward]

Certain medicines are provided at lower prices to poorer countries because they can not pay as much.
Donald Trump's line would effectively preclude, that so there is likely to be some blowback on that idea.

What I suggest is that Donald Trump insist that suppliers provide statistics of medicines provided and
at what price and to which countries, health care providers or wholesalers or direct over Internet etc.

And tax medicine suppliers if their supply of medicines to the USA is higher than their average price.

 

[Snowygerry]

Certain medicines are provided at lower prices to poorer countries because they can not pay as much.
Donald Trump's line would effectively preclude, that so there is likely to be some blowback on that idea.

What I suggest is that Donald Trump insist that suppliers provide statistics of medicines provided and
at what price and to which countries, health care providers or wholesalers or direct over Internet etc.

(...)

They will not voluntarily do that obviously, such negotiations are usually kept secret, that is why the expanded bureaucratic system is needed.

Medicine dealers: Europe’s secret drug negotiations

Confidential agreements, secret discounts and the power of big pharma. Inside the opaque word of Europe's hidden drug pricing system.

www.investigate-europe.eu

The official price of a drug – its ‘list’ price – can easily be found online or on the back of medicine packs. But these prices are often artificial, and it is in the industry’s interests for them to be high. The reason is simple: dozens of countries set their prices by looking at what other states publicly say they pay – be it cancer treatments with list prices in six figures or rare single-dose drugs marketed in their millions. High list prices are the industry’s gateway to bumper profits.

 

[EnglishEdward]

Do we really think that will happen?

No

Maybe more like some guys turn up and go: "NIce pharmaceutical company you get there. Would he a shame if something happened to it."

At the moment all I can realistically expect from Donald Trump is more chaos.

Now it may be that chaos is necessary before things can get better, but that is a painful transition.

 

[Thera32]

We'll know when US posters here report that their medical costs have dropped dramatically after the signing of this presidential order,

and then we'll wonder why no US president before thought of writing such a brilliant presidential order

Its basically propaganda move planned to fail from the start, court is going to say the president can't just order companies to lower prices, free market and all that nonsense, only possible way to lower drug prices is to nationalize drug purchasing, profiteering is the reason why drugs cost so much more in america, company profits first and bribing politician's is legal so they've rigged the whole thing, if only corporation's weren't people but american's voted for this.