David Bianculli

I think you can make the argument it is. And the reality with, you know, things like this executive order is that whatever comes from it in terms of real concrete actions is likely to be challenged in court. You know, the Trump administration ran into this problem the first time around.

I think you can make the argument it is. And the reality with, you know, things like this executive order is that whatever comes from it in terms of real concrete actions is likely to be challenged in court. You know, the Trump administration ran into this problem the first time around.

They proposed a very modest, I think, idea where they would test out drug pricing for some of the Medicare drugs that are administered in a doctor's office. And that, you know, was held up by the courts. And then the first administration expired. So it's going to be a fight. You know, the pharma lobby is not to be underestimated.

They proposed a very modest, I think, idea where they would test out drug pricing for some of the Medicare drugs that are administered in a doctor's office. And that, you know, was held up by the courts. And then the first administration expired. So it's going to be a fight. You know, the pharma lobby is not to be underestimated.

They proposed a very modest, I think, idea where they would test out drug pricing for some of the Medicare drugs that are administered in a doctor's office. And that, you know, was held up by the courts. And then the first administration expired. So it's going to be a fight. You know, the pharma lobby is not to be underestimated.

You know, they spend billions of dollars on lobbying or millions, I should say. So this will be a tough fight trying to wrangle prices down.

You know, they spend billions of dollars on lobbying or millions, I should say. So this will be a tough fight trying to wrangle prices down.

You know, they spend billions of dollars on lobbying or millions, I should say. So this will be a tough fight trying to wrangle prices down.

Is that similar, different here? The Biden effort, frankly, was much more modest, at least in execution. The Trump administration is promising, you know, greater results we'll have to see. But, you know, essentially, the Inflation Reduction Act that was from the Biden administration allowed Medicare some limited ability to negotiate prices on the first year, 10 drugs, the next year, 15 drugs.

Is that similar, different here? The Biden effort, frankly, was much more modest, at least in execution. The Trump administration is promising, you know, greater results we'll have to see. But, you know, essentially, the Inflation Reduction Act that was from the Biden administration allowed Medicare some limited ability to negotiate prices on the first year, 10 drugs, the next year, 15 drugs.

Is that similar, different here? The Biden effort, frankly, was much more modest, at least in execution. The Trump administration is promising, you know, greater results we'll have to see. But, you know, essentially, the Inflation Reduction Act that was from the Biden administration allowed Medicare some limited ability to negotiate prices on the first year, 10 drugs, the next year, 15 drugs.

But the Congressional Budget Office found that those impacts are going to be very modest. You know, it's not going to change the game, essentially.

But the Congressional Budget Office found that those impacts are going to be very modest. You know, it's not going to change the game, essentially.

But the Congressional Budget Office found that those impacts are going to be very modest. You know, it's not going to change the game, essentially.

Is he right? Well, you're not alone in understanding that. It's very opaque. It's very secretive. Lots of people have tried to crack the code there, and it's difficult. These are middlemen that set prices through sometimes secret rebates and discounts back to the drug maker. And on the other side, they have the health insurer. And a lot of people have called for transparency in pricing.

Is he right? Well, you're not alone in understanding that. It's very opaque. It's very secretive. Lots of people have tried to crack the code there, and it's difficult. These are middlemen that set prices through sometimes secret rebates and discounts back to the drug maker. And on the other side, they have the health insurer. And a lot of people have called for transparency in pricing.

Is he right? Well, you're not alone in understanding that. It's very opaque. It's very secretive. Lots of people have tried to crack the code there, and it's difficult. These are middlemen that set prices through sometimes secret rebates and discounts back to the drug maker. And on the other side, they have the health insurer. And a lot of people have called for transparency in pricing.

What is the actual price, taking out all of these rebates and other things that the middlemen put in? So there's been a lot of calls to eliminate the middlemen. President Trump said something like, you know, they're taking money out of the system without actually making a product. And I think there's some truth to that.

What is the actual price, taking out all of these rebates and other things that the middlemen put in? So there's been a lot of calls to eliminate the middlemen. President Trump said something like, you know, they're taking money out of the system without actually making a product. And I think there's some truth to that.

What is the actual price, taking out all of these rebates and other things that the middlemen put in? So there's been a lot of calls to eliminate the middlemen. President Trump said something like, you know, they're taking money out of the system without actually making a product. And I think there's some truth to that.