From drug ads to Medicare moves, 5 policy takeaways from Trump’s drug pricing speech

By IKE SWETLITZ , ERIN MERSHON , and LEV FACHER

MAY 11, 2018

Azar talks drug pricing plan with lawmakers

Health secretary Alex Azar is headed before the Senate HELP committee this morning to talk about the president’s drug pricing plan, which was released last month. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) fired off a long letter to Azar yesterday about the drug pricing proposals, which they call "inadequate." Their criticisms of the plan — including that it "does nothing reduce runaway drug company profits" or CEO pay — offer a peek into the possible line of questioning at today's hearing. Democrats will likely press Azar about other hot-button health care issues, including the administration's decision not to defend the ACA in a court case challenging its constitutionality.