House Speaker Paul Ryan said additional discussions need to take place concerning President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to target pharmaceutical companies, adding he believes the current Medicare system has largely been a success.
“I believe that the current premium support system with Part D works extremely well,” Ryan told Mike Allen in an interview for Axios. “I think there’s some real success stories … and I think we need to tell that story.”
Trump has been highly critical of pharmaceutical companies, vowing to drive down drug costs by pushing companies to compete for government business.
“They’re politically protected, but not anymore,” he told The Washington Post Sunday.
Ryan said there are other ways to lower drug prices that don’t involve attacking companies.
“I don’t speak like that, generally speaking,” he said of Trump’s comments. “I’m always looking for win-win situations, and I believe there’s a lot more we can do to bring down the price of drugs.”
According to Ryan, Georgia Rep. Tom Price — Trump’s pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services — has a solid grasp on the issue.
Under Medicare Part D, Medicare and pharmaceutical companies are currently banned from negotiating drug prices.
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