The executive order promulgated by Donald Trump on the first day of his presidency clamoring for ’emergency price relief’ surprisingly omits notable issues. Nose-diving into his new term, Trump, with a streak of imprudence, cancelled an evolving program aimed at allowing Medicare holders to have access to over 100 generic drugs for the meagre sum of $2 per month. His carelessness also extended in the unraveling of an order from Joe Biden’s 2021 tenure that sought to turbocharge the Affordable Care Act by lengthening the enrolment duration and bolstering Medicaid subsidies for impoverished ACA enrollees.
As a part of his preliminary actions, back in 2017 when Trump sat comfortably in his presidential office for the first time, he outlined methodical steps to obliterate Barack Obama’s flagship health care law. A motion which, indeed, was strongly denounced and eventually refuted by Congress. Now, history seems to be repeating itself as Trump, using his executive power, is undermining several facets of the ACA that previously safeguarded tens of millions of Americans. He has also halted Biden’s 2022 initiative titled ‘Lowering Prescription Drug Costs’.
These gestures from Trump have undoubtedly whipped up a storm, supercharging Democrats’ exasperation. Although Trump’s executive order to dismantle the carefully particle engineered Biden administration’s effort will not impact existing Medicare out-of-pocket costs, it will significantly impede a two-year endeavor aimed at reducing these 100 generic drug prices by 2027. This disrupts the whole scheme, leaving it biting the dust.
Hopes to crystallize a mechanism wherein the government would bargain with drug manufacturers to establish capped prices for a wide array of medicines suffered a gloomy dusk. The iteration of TRUMP’s whimsical order poses another roadblock for Democrats in locating new horizons for controlling prescription drug costs. It cancels a promising plan that involved capped insulin costs at just $35 for Medicare D recipients.
Comments from U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston echo the sentiment well, stating, ‘Trump’s decree to discard President Biden’s meticulous strides to whittle the costs of generic drugs is nothing short of a double-handed smack for every elder grappling to afford expensive medicines.’ The specter of the executive order also looms over ACA recipients relying on Medicaid subsidies, triggering concerns over the ballooning rate of uninsured Americans.
The surge in uninsured Americans could discourage them from seeking preventive care, posing an undue strain on emergency care services. In a peculiar turn of events, Florida, which leads the nation in ACA signups, might have to bear the brunt of these changes. The Sunshine State sits at a striking 4.6 million ACA enrollments, far outpacing California, the most populous state, which has only 1.9 million individuals under the ACA.
The Trump administration has offered no clear justification for revoking the Biden administration’s orders pertaining to drug pricing and fortifying the ACA. This comes under the umbrella of Trump’s initiative dubbed as ‘Initial Rescissions of Harmful Orders and Actions.’ Any trace of Biden’s executive actions and their progress has been conveniently erased from the White House’s online presence.
No future roadmap or replacement policy has been forwarded by the Trump administration, according to health policy officials. Whatever follows these executive actions is most likely to come to light during the upcoming enrollment window for purchasing health care through the ACA insurance market.
Under Biden’s watch, the enrollment period had been lengthened by a month in some states, with the last date for securing coverage shifted to January 15 instead of the usual December 15. Yet, any roll-backs in ACA associated privileges can impose a cumbersome burden on these beneficiaries. Another noteworthy point is that curtailing drug prices invariably leads to savings for the healthcare system.
However, some harbor the view that the election’s aftermath signifies a shift in the approach to healthcare affordability, consciously veering away from straightforward public advocacy. Critics argue that the federal government has ventured too deep into the construct of entitlements, peddling them as staples in their system, and it’s about time to halt that—and Trump’s actions might just be the beginning of this.
It’s integral to note, though, that actions such as these could result in a potentially damaging ripple effect across various aspects of healthcare. The direct consequences might extend way beyond just the patients, potentially impacting healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and insurers as well.
Trump’s bulldozing of such essential policies without presenting an equivalent or superior solution spells chaos more than strategic leadership. Snatching away ACA benefits and halting efforts to reduce drug prices, especially for the senior citizens, might not exactly be the most popular and rational moves.
Ultimately, the actions of the Trump administration represent a significantly incoherent stance on healthcare reform. By retracting the advances made by their predecessors without providing an encompassing alternative, the administration appears to play a high-risk game with the future of America’s healthcare—with potentially far-reaching implications.
While the full scope of these changes remains to be seen, it’s clear that health policy officials, stakeholders, and the public will closely watch the unfolding scenario. It only remains to be seen how these decisions will reverberate across America’s healthcare landscape and what collateral damage might ensue.