MIAMI -- President Donald Trump asked his health secretary during a meeting in the Oval Office on Monday to help Florida import low-cost pharmaceuticals, lending crucial support to one of Gov. Ron DeSantis' top initiatives.
Florida's Legislature, with DeSantis' encouragement, passed a bill last month to create a prescription drug importation program that would seek to obtain low-cost pharmaceuticals from Canada for state programs, such as Medicaid.
The concept needs federal approval in order to be put in place.
Trump signaled his early support for the plan Monday evening during a meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Florida U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz and DeSantis, according to a White House pool report issued late Monday. Trump, according to the pool report, "asked Secretary Azar and Governor DeSantis to work together to explore additional [health care] options, including drug importation opportunities, to reduce drug prices in a safe way for Floridians."
Federal approval for the import program -- required under a 2003 law -- would be unprecedented, and would take months or perhaps years. Vermont is the only other state to pass a law to create a drug import program, and the federal government has not yet granted approval.
Florida's newly passed legislation, HB19, banks on price-regulated Canadian drugs pushing competitively priced pharmaceuticals into the marketplace. It calls for Florida's health department to hire a program manager and establish a list no later than December for low-cost, wholesale imported Canadian pharmaceuticals meeting federal food and drug safety standards. The law requires that Florida's health agencies seek federal approval by July of next year.
DeSantis believes the program -- which aligns with Trump's own priorities -- would benefit the state government given the number of state prisoners receiving public health care, the public cost for state workers' medicine and the amount of money that Florida spends on Medicaid. House Speaker Jose Oliva, for whom health care competition was also a top priority this year, tweeted thanks to Trump on Monday night.
"The Florida House stands ready to bring affordable, SAFE, and effective drugs to the market," Oliva said.
Also Monday, DeSantis and Trump spoke about efforts to get more money to the hurricane-ravaged Florida panhandle. Trump will hold a campaign rally today in Panama City.
A Section on 05/08/2019