, Columnist
Trump's Crusade on Drug Pricing Puts Both Parties on the Spot
The populist push to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription costs makes Republicans especially queasy.
Pills are a populist cause.
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Donald Trump has a chance to rally his core supporters as well as left-wing Democrats, wrapping himself in the populist flag to take on the politically powerful drug industry.
He is vowing to keep a campaign pledge to push legislation allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, a practice currently prohibited by law. Proponents say this would reduce drug prices and Medicare costs for the federal government. Medicare pays for about 29 percent of prescription drugs in the U.S. and would have considerable leverage.