President Donald Trump is putting pressure on his party to come up with a plan to lower drug costs as House Democrats move quickly to advance their proposals, according to Politico.
The primary problem holding the Republican party back from introducing new drug-pricing legislation is that they don't know what the president wants, according to the report. President Trump has shifted his priorities on the subject from international reference pricing, to importation, to rebate reforms, and Republican lawmakers don't know which of these issues to focus on.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he would block a Senate vote on drug-pricing proposal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., arguing it contains "socialist price controls," and Republicans on the House's top healthcare panel have agreed.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar encouraged House Republicans to seek bipartisan compromise, as drug pricing could be a key issue in the 2020 campaign, according to Politico.
Mr. Azar endorsed a proposal from Senator Chuck Grassley, R- Iowa saying it would lower prices while avoiding liberal measures such as allowing the government to negotiate the cost of drugs, which is included in Ms. Pelosi's plan.
However, Ms. Pelosi's recent announcement of an impeachment inquiry against President Trump makes it unlikely there will be a bipartisan drug-pricing plan in the near future, according to Politico.
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