Trump's executive order takes aim at drug prices

President Trump released an executive order Sunday meant to drastically cut how much Medicare will pay for the drugs seniors take — a dramatic move with the election looming. The policy will force drug makers to offer Medicare the same prices for drugs as they do in other countries, STAT’s Nicholas Florko writes.

The executive order vastly expands an older, controversial drug pricing policy that Trump has been teasing for months. Whereas an earlier version would only have applied to Part B drugs, which are administered in doctors offices, the new version also applies to Part D drugs, which are sold in pharmacies.

Trade group PhRMA described the policy as “irresponsible and unworkable” in a statement; drug makers have hinted they’ll sue to block it from being implemented.