Impact on Medication Costs for Americans

Impact on Medication Costs for Americans
Generic Drugs: Prices could rise by $0.12 per pill (e.g., common generics), adding ~$42/year per person. India supplies 45-47% of U.S. generics, making low-cost drugs vulnerable258.
Branded Drugs: Cancer treatments (e.g., Keytruda) and weight-loss drugs (e.g., Wegovy) may increase by up to $10,000 annually if tariffs are fully passed to consumers25.
Shortages: Tariffs risk manufacturer exits, worsening existing shortages of generics and medical supplies (e.g., syringes, gloves)14.
Payer Impact:
Medicare/Medicaid: Partially protected from price hikes beyond inflation rates, but base costs could rise6.
Commercial Plans: Likely to face steeper premium increases due to higher drug spending6.
Patients: Higher out-of-pocket costs, especially for those with high deductibles or coinsurance68.
Industry Response: Generic manufacturers (e.g., Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drug Co.) warn they can’t absorb costs, passing them directly to consumers45.