News/Commentary

‘STOP LYING!’: Biden admin tries to take credit for insulin price cuts Trump originally implemented

August 21, 2022 | | Print Article

As Democrats do a victory lap for the passage of the poorly named, mind-blowingly expensive Inflation Reduction Act spending package, some critics of the bill are taking issue with a White House claim that the legislation will lower the cost of insulin.

In a White House press release about the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden admin states that “3.3 million Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes will benefit from a guarantee that their insulin costs are capped at $35 for a month’s supply.”

But as PJ Media’s Matt Margolis noted, while the mainstream media is giddy over the reduction, reporters have failed to mention that President Trump “had previously implemented rules to lower the costs of insulin.”

In December 2020, the Trump administration finalized the rules for the implementation of Trump’s “Executive Order on Access to Affordable Life-saving Medications.”

The 340B Drug Pricing Program enabled “covered entities such as health centers to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services by lowering drug costs for providers and allowing them to pass along these savings to their patients and maintain and expand other health care services.”

As BizPac Review reported at the time, “within hours of stepping into office,” President Biden froze the order.

“[T]his action temporarily delays for 60 days from the date of the memorandum the effective date of the final rule titled ‘Implementation of Executive Order on Access to Affordable Life-saving Medications,'” Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services announced in January 2021.

“Despite axing the rule that was designed to lower prices, Biden often used the high price of insulin and other drugs as a talking point for his agenda,” Margolis writes. “Yet his own actions forced people to pay more for insulin than they otherwise would have because his governing philosophy was to reverse anything that Trump did.”

What’s more, even some media members have acknowledged that Biden’s price caps will only help a limited number of people.

“Trump’s executive orders sought to change how drugs are purchased and reduce prices for most people, but Biden wanted to keep the issue alive — essentially forcing people to continue to pay higher prices for medicines so that eventually he could claim credit for fixing the problem,” Margolis states.

It is strikingly similar to White House claims that the administration is lowering gas prices that wouldn’t need lowering had they not reversed Trump’s policies that rendered America energy independent and brought the cost of a gallon of gas down below $2.

On Twitter, many see through the White House’s subterfuge.

“Trump had already capped insulin and 5 other necessary medications,” tweeted one user in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “BIDEN REVERSED THOSE HIS FIRST WEEK USUNG EXECUTIVE ORDERS!! STOP LYING!”

“They’re working on preserving profits for Pharma and insurers, while helping a small number of people with ‘caps’, while the Insulin is just $27 in Canada,” stated another.
“No intention of real change, as Biden promised Donors.”

“These are just pre election feel good bills,” wrote a third to Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). “There was an act that allowed for negotiated med charges and cheap insulin but it was overturned when Biden came into office. Regurgitated bills. Again propaganda. Please be knowledgeable and investigate issues.”

 

Melissa Fine
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