You make some good points, but the truth is, the fact that the federal government has become the largest purchaser of prescription drugs is the main source of the problem. But it is what it is. We as a nation decided a while ago that we wanted the federal government in that role. I would like to see us get away from that at some point in the future. But the fact is, medicaire is a current reality which millions of people currently rely on, and which will bankrupt us if we don’t get it under control.
The problem is a result of the government getting involved in providing health insurance in the first place. But whether you like it or not, the federal government is a customer - the largest one - of prescription drugs. What Trump is proposing, is to use the leverage that the government has as the largest customer, to demand better pricing. In the long term, I’d like to see medicare privatized. In the short term, we need to get costs under control before they bankrupt us.
If it can be negotiated without coercion or threats, then i'm all for it. I'm just not sure that's possible when the President is eyeballing you and telling you to "negotiate."
In the long term, I'd like to see medicare privatized. In the short term, we need to get costs under control before they bankrupt us.
Drug prices are a problem. Medical care of any sort is also a problem.
But these are not the worst problems we are facing. That more than half the population gets some form of government assistance is the bigger problem in my thinking.
The trend is ugly, and the projections completely unsustainable. We are going to crash if we don't cut the government's ability to spend other people's money.