President Donald Trump’s latest executive order aims to cut drug prices. Signed Monday, it’s expected to face both legal and political challenges.
President Trump is calling it his “most favored nation” policy.
“Whoever is paying the lowest price, we will look at that price and we will say, that’s the price we are going to pay,” he said.
“I think it’s about time,” said Anita Sullivan, Morro Bay resident.
It’s designed to apply to a variety of medications and prices in the commercial market, including Medicare and Medicaid.
“People on retirement and fixed incomes have a difficult time paying for their drugs at a high cost,” Sullivan added.
Ihab Doss owns Pill Save Pharmacy in Morro Bay and Arroyo Grande and says he’s seen higher prices on medications as a result of recent tariffs.
“But at the same time, the insurances would not pay for the new prices, so the price difference comes from the patients’ out-of-pocket and from the pharmacy, too,” Doss said.
He says this new order would help save both people and pharmacies money.
“Any lowering of the drug’s prices comes very handy because we spend lots of money adding medications to our inventory,” Doss said.
He says some popular drugs at his pharmacies are weight loss medications and blood thinners. Those prescriptions, he says, can run thousands of dollars each.
“We don’t know yet how much the price reduction is going to be, but if there is a big reduction, that’s going to save a lot for our patients,” Doss said.
