Trump Signs Order Aiming To Lower Drug Prices In The U.S.

Trump said the goal is to equalize and pay the same as what Europe pays.

President Trump sign an executive order Monday that aims to lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S..

The order directs the Health Department, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to broker new price tags for drugs over the next month.

If deals are not reached by the 30-day deadline, Kennedy will be called on to develop a new rule that ties the price the U.S. pays for medications to lower prices paid by other countries. Trump said the goal is to equalize and pay the same as what Europe pays.

It’s unclear what impact the order could have on millions of Americans who have private health insurance. The federal government has the most power to shape the price it pays for drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

Drug makers are now encouraged to voluntarily lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. or face new limits down the road over what the government will pay.