Health Care — Conservative leaders come out against codifying Trump's drug policy

Presented by the Coalition to Strengthen America's Healthcare

View Online Health Care Health Care   PRESENTED BY  The Big Story  Conservative leaders come out against codifying Trump's drug policy Several dozen conservative leaders on Thursday came out strongly against President Trump's "Most Favored Nation" drug pricing policy, warning that it threatens "U.S. global competitiveness."  © AP Photo/Evan Vucci A coalition of over 50 conservative leaders wrote to Trump to signal their opposition to his "Most Favored Nation" (MFN) drug pricing policy, which calls for drugmakers to voluntarily enter into agreements that they would sell their medicines in the U.S. at the lowest price they sell the product globally.    "In addition to doing nothing to address foreign freeloading, MFN would reduce access to new cures and reduce U.S. global competitiveness, ceding ground to China," the leaders wrote.    "While supporters of this proposal correctly identify the unique problems facing the American health care system — namely, wealthy countries paying artificially lower prices for prescription drugs than the U.S. and the fact that this depresses innovation and inflates our costs — MFN would not solve these problems," the letter continues. "In fact, it would exacerbate them."    Trump has called for Congress to codify the policy into law. A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House — Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) — introduced one such bill to codify the order's provisions last year.    Some critics of Trump's MFN policy have argued that this strategy actually places upward pressure on prescription drug costs as drugmakers set their launch prices to account for the effective cap.   Signatories of the letter include Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform; Stephen Moore, co-founder of Unleash Prosperity Now and a former economic adviser to Trump; Tim Chapman, president of Advancing American Freedom; Phil Kerpen, president of American Commitment; and Ryan Ellis, president of Center for a Free Economy; Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of the Job Creators Network.    Read more from The Hill's Emily Brooks here. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: More than 50 conservative leaders sign letter against Trump drug pricing policy codification Four Democratic-led states that were targeted by more than $600 million in Trump administration funding rescissions are suing to have their public health grants restored. Last week, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to rescind more than $1.5 billion in public health and transportation funding from Colorado, Illinois, California and Minnesota. Included …  Full Story Dozens of Democrats call for removal of newly appointed OB-GYNs from vaccine advisory panel Dozens of Democratic lawmakers are calling for the removal of two OB-GYNs who were recently appointed to the nation's top vaccine advisory committee, citing the doctors' "well-documented history" of anti-vaccine ideology. The lawmakers said in a Thursday letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that they were concerned about the Jan. 13 appointments of Dr. Adam Urato and Dr. Kimberly Biss to the Advisory …  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend yielded no breakthroughs in disputes with three major hospital systems over staffing, benefits and other issues. "Nurses on strike! … Fair contract now!" nurses shouted on a picket line outside NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s … Full Story A MESSAGE FROM COALITION TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA'S HEALTHCARE   Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: Who gets a bed in North Carolina's state psychiatric hospitals — and who waits? (North Carolina Health News)  Report: Indiana hospitals nearing 'breaking point' as financial pressures mount (Fox 59)  Alabama's 'pretty cool' plan for robots in maternity care sparks debate (KFF Health News)  What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: RFK Jr's vaccine agenda faces Boston judge who has handed Trump setbacks (Reuters)  FDA's rejection of Moderna threatens to stifle broader vaccine industry (Stat)  RFK Jr. ally says GOP risks losing his supporters (Politico)  What People Think  Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: A good place to start Trump's new health care plan: More drugs over the counter How to raise birth rates is the wrong question: Here's what we should be asking   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? 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