STAT

Buried in Trump’s executive order on drug pricing is a windfall clause for pharma

Source: Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images

The pharmaceutical industry could see windfall profits from a little-noticed tweak to the insurance market tucked into the Trump administration’s draft executive order on drug prices, experts say.

The short, technical paragraph calls for the Internal Revenue Service to allow patients with high-deductible health plans to receive care for chronic diseases, including drugs, before meeting their deductibles.

This allowance, known as a “safe harbor,” could be welcome news for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma stuck with skimpy plans. For example, a diabetes patient could fill her prescription for insulin with just

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About A GLP-1 Side Effect, U.K. Clinical Trial Transparency, And More
A new study links GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic to a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia — a lung infection caused by food breathed into the lungs — after endoscopies.
STAT1 min read
STAT+: Medicare Expected To Negotiate Obesity Drug Prices Soon, New Analysis Predicts
Medicare will likely choose the obesity drug semaglutide for price negotiation “within the next few years,” according to a new analysis.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About An AstraZeneca Deal, A WHO Pandemic Pact, And More
AstraZeneca agreed to acquire Fusion Pharmaceuticals in a deal worth more than $2 billion, picking up a company focused on targeted radiation therapies for cancer.

Related Books & Audiobooks