There's strong bipartisan support for President Trump's ideas to lower prescription drug costs, as well as other current policy proposals—considering that eight in ten Americans say the cost of prescription drugs is "unreasonable," according to the February 2019 KFF Health Tracking Poll. Three proposals are particularly supported by large majorities of Democrats, independents and Republicans: requiring drug companies to include drug list prices in their advertisements, included in Trump's "American Patients First" prescription drug plan announced last year (88 percent); making it easier for generic drugs to come to market (88 percent); and allowing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to get a lower price on medications for people with Medicare (86 percent). Related: 5 highlights from the Senate Finance Committee's drug price hearing "Overall, about four in ten of all adults and seniors are aware the federal government does not currently negotiate with drug companies in order to get lower prices on prescription drugs for people with Medicare," KFF writes. "A policy proposal that has been around for years, this idea has gained traction in recent months, with several members of Congress proposing various approaches to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices." Other proposals garnering bipartisan support include allowing Americans to buy drugs imported from licensed Canadian pharmacies (80 percent) and lowering what Medicare pays based on amounts paid in other countries where governments more closely control prices (65 percent). Opinions were mixed, though, on other proposals impacting Medicare. A majority (76 percent) support placing an annual limit on out-of-pocket prescription drug spending for seniors with Medicare (76 percent) and just over half (53 percent) favor allowing Medicare plans to put more restrictions on the use of certain drugs, including making patients try cheaper alternatives before taking a more expensive drug. However, only a quarter favor allowing Medicare plans to exclude more drugs in order to keep prices down. Prescription drug costs impact some people more than others, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation survey. Respondents who say they have difficulty affording medication include those who are spending $100 or more a month on their prescriptions (58 percent); those who report being in fair or poor health (49 percent); those who take four or more prescription drugs (35 percent); and those earning less than $40,000 annually (35 percent). Affordability issues are subsequently impacting the health of more than a few people: about three in ten of all of the respondents (29 percent) say they did not take their medicines as prescribed at some point in the past year because of the cost. Some of the ways they curtailed use included not filling a prescription (19 percent of total); taking an over-the counter drug instead (18 percent of total); and cutting pills in half or skipping a dose (12 percent of total). For those respondents who did not take their medicines as prescribed, three in ten (29 percent) say their condition got worse. Read more: |

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