Trump announces $6.6 billion in prescription drug discounts — but HHS is still figuring out how to pay for them
President Trump has launched a last-minute prescription drug payment plan with no clear way to pay for it.
Trump announced Thursday that his administration would be mailing $200 prescription drug coupons to seniors using Medicare, totaling $6.6 billion. But as of Friday morning, the Department of Health and Human Services was still figuring out where that money would come from.
In what Stat News called a "political ploy" just six weeks before Election Day, Trump issued executive orders promising to send coupons to 33 million Medicare beneficiaries "to curry favor with seniors who view drug prices as a priority." The $6.6 billion to pay for it would apparently come from Trump's proposed "most favored nations" drug pricing proposal, which would mandate the Medicare program would only pay the lowest international price for prescription drugs. But while the rule change could save the Medicare system money, it isn't even in place yet; Trump's Thursday executive order would only direct HHS to explore the favored nations proposal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As The New York Times' Maggie Haberman also noted, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has pushed for the coupon deal despite being a notorious "budget hawk" who always wants to know where government spending is coming from.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Earth's mini-moon was the moon all along
Under the radar More lunar rocks are likely floating in space
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 4, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: February 4, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Thailand
Speed Read The law grants same-sex spouses the same rights as married heterosexual couples
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top Israeli general to resign over Oct. 7 failures
Speed Read Herzi Halevi took responsibility for his failure to prevent the attacks that sparked Israel's war in Gaza
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
80 dead in Colombia amid uptick in guerrilla fighting
Speed Read This was the country's deadliest wave of violence since the peace accords set by President Gustavo Petro in 2016
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal on track to start by Monday
Speed Read A deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages and begin a ceasefire was officially signed by representatives in Doha
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine captures first North Korean soldiers
Speed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted videos of the men captured in Russia's Kursk region
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Lebanon selects president after 2-year impasse
Speed Read The country's parliament elected Gen. Joseph Aoun as its next leader
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US accuses Sudan rebels of genocide, sanctions chief
Speed Read Sudan has been engaged in a bloody civil war that erupted in 2023
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published