Trump Undercuts Sanders On Drug Prices

CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY AUGUST 2, 2019

            ON THE DAY OF THE SECOND DEBATE AMONG DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, PRESIDENT TRUMP CUT THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS WHEN HE SAID THE U.S. WILL OPEN THE DOOR TO CHEAPER DRUGS FROM CANADA, SO LONG AS THEY MEET OUR STANDARDS.

PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES WERE SHOCKED, FEARING THEIR BOTTOM LINES WILL BE AFFECTED, BUT COMPETITION IS AT THE HEART OF MANY THINGS IN THE U.S. AND FORCING DRUG COMPANIES TO COMPETE ON A WIDER SCALE WILL HELP LOWER PRICES. REPUBLICANS SHOULD ALSO BE PUSHING FOR LOWER MALPRACTICE COSTS. INSURANCE COSTS FOR DOCTORS ARE WAY TOO HIGH, AS ARE HOSPITAL COSTS FOR SERVICES. THANKFULLY, HOSPITALS MUST NOW PUBLISH THEIR PRICES BEFORE A PATIENT IS ADMITTED AND DURING TREATMENT.

MANY DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES ARE PROMISING MEDICARE FOR ALL, REQUIRING 170 MILLION PEOPLE WITH PRIVATE POLICIES TO GIVE THEM UP, ALONG WITH THEIR DOCTORS. THAT IS UNLIKELY TO FLY. WOULD YOU WANT THE GOVERNMENT TELLING YOU WHAT KIND OF CARE YOU GET AND WHICH DOCTOR YOU CAN SEE AND THEN WAIT FOR WEEKS TO BE SEEN; NOT TO MENTION PAYING MORE IN TAXES FOR LESS IN SERVICE?

THE ESTIMATED COST IS $32 MILLION, BUT WE KNOW FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIMENTS THAT INITIAL COSTS ARE NOT FINAL COST. MEDICARE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE. MEDICARE FOR ALL MAY COST MORE THAN MONEY. IT COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE. I’M CAL THOMAS.

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Cal Thomas