President Trump is throwing a pre-election curveball aimed at seniors with a surprise announcement on Thursday that his administration will send $200 coupons to 33 million seniors on Medicare to use to pay for prescription drugs.
The move raises legal questions, given that Congress has not authorized the roughly $7 billion in spending, and Democrats and some health experts said it would be an unprecedented use of the Medicare program for political gain ahead of the election.
Trump made no effort to disguise the fact that he sees the move as a political benefit with seniors, a key voting bloc, ahead of the election.
“These cards are incredible,” Trump said during a health care speech in North Carolina. “The cards will be mailed out in coming weeks. I will always take care of our wonderful senior citizens. Joe Biden won’t be doing this.”
The White House did not provide a clear explanation for where the money for the program would come from. A White House official said Thursday evening that the spending would be offset by a program to lower drug prices by tying them to lower prices in other countries, a plan called “most-favored nation.” But that plan, while it has been proposed, has not gone into effect yet, meaning that there currently are no savings from it.
The Wall Street Journal then reported on Friday that the money would be coming from the Medicare Trust Fund, which appears to be a more realistic source of funds.
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On Thursday Trump surprised Americans by announcing $200 drug discount coupons to seniors. The move raises legal questions, given that Congress has not authorized the roughly $7 billion in spending. https://t.co/7d6XfJsPsA
— The Hill (@thehill) September 27, 2020
So what medical expense will Medicare now have to deny seniors to pay for this political giveaway? I sure hope seniors realize that one way or the other, they will be paying for this gimmick designed to persuade them to vote for Trump. I’m sure they have no delusions that these discount cards are going to be financed by him since, according to his tax returns, he doesn’t have the money.
Pelosi is right; Trump had four years, including a period when his party had majorities in both houses of congress, to address prescription drug prices and other health care issues. But he and the GOP just sat on their fannies and did nothing. Now, when it is very possible that not only may Trump lose re-election, but that the party’s majority in the senate could be lost, Trump and his party are coming up with last-minute, desperate schemes to win voters. Sorry, guys. Not going to happen.
Getting seniors to pay for their own debit cards that won’t even buy one month worth of inhalers or insulin for them. But they will think it is great.
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