At a recent press conference at Mar-a-Lago, President-elect Donald Trump made a bold promise to take on the powerful Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) responsible for inflating prescription drug prices in the U.S. Trump criticized PBMs, calling them a “horrible middleman” that profits by driving up drug costs without adding value. He vowed to eliminate the middleman and reduce drug prices to levels “that nobody has ever seen before.”
U.S. stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, erasing earlier gains after the Federal Reserve announced a 25 basis point rate cut and projected a slower pace of rate reductions for next year.
Healthcare spending in the United States surged by 7.5% to $4.9 trillion in 2023, driven by increased medical service use and rising enrollment in private health plans, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The Federal Reserve made its third consecutive interest rate cut on Wednesday, reducing its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point. The move, widely anticipated by investors and financial markets, brings the federal funds rate to a target range of 4.25 percent to 4.50 percent. Since beginning its rate cuts in September, the Fed has now lowered rates by a total of 100 basis points, or one percentage point.
Incoming trade advisor Peter Navarro has reassured Americans that the tariffs planned for President-Elect Donald Trump's next term will not lead to inflationary pressures. Speaking with CNBC, Navarro pointed to the significant tariffs imposed on Chinese imports during Trump’s previous term, such as steel, aluminum, dishwashers, and solar panels. Despite fears that these tariffs would drive up prices, Navarro emphasized that they had no discernible impact on inflation. He also dismissed past warnings about inflation, recalling how critics had predicted economic chaos during Trump’s first term, only to see those fears prove unfounded.
Several European nations are exploring financial incentives to encourage Syrian refugees to voluntarily return to their home country, as the prolonged cost of hosting them on welfare programs weighs heavily on national budgets.
With fewer than 40 days until Inauguration Day, President-elect Donald Trump is adjusting his approach to key campaign promises. While his “Promises Made, Promises Kept” mantra energized his base throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump is now striking a more tempered tone on major issues like inflation, foreign policy, and government spending.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is preparing to unveil a government spending bill that could include key components of President-elect Donald Trump’s healthcare agenda. Among the priorities under consideration is reforming Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) practices, a move aimed at lowering prescription drug costs for seniors by tackling middleman-driven price inflation.
