US Health Officials Suggest Fewer Meds to Cut Costs
It’s no secret that prescription medications are more expensive than ever before. This rise in costs affects nearly everyone in the United States and has led government officials to search for a solution. One of their most controversial proposals is cutting costs by encouraging people to take fewer medications.
But how would this work? Or, more importantly, would it work? Let’s consider why this strategy was proposed and whether it is feasible.
What is the MAHA Commission?
On February 13, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14212, establishing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, chaired by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Within 100 days, it was tasked to publish an initial “Assessment of Children’s Chronic Disease”, followed by a comprehensive strategy within 180 days.
The Commission includes representatives from agencies such as HHS, NIH, FDA, CDC, EPA, USDA, Education, and HUD. They aim to study diet, physical activity, screen time, and behaviors linked to chronic illness. They also want to assess chemical exposure, including pesticides and food additives.
On May 22nd, the commission released its initial findings, attributing high rates of childhood chronic disease to diet, toxins, physical inactivity, stress, and overmedicalization. By August 2025, they will release a full strategy roadmap. To find out more, you can read about upcoming reforms in our blogs on Trump Signs Executive Action to Lower Drug Prices and Cheaper Prescription Drugs If Proposed Bill Succeeds.
Understanding the Proposal to Reduce Medication Intake
The MAHA Commission’s findings laid the foundation for the argument that Americans need to reduce medication reliance, with some health officials arguing that the best way to bring down medication costs is for Americans to take fewer of them. They state that many people are taking medications that they shouldn’t. The operative word is “shouldn’t,” since government officials believe that many illnesses people suffer from stem from unhealthy decisions.
According to the CDC, three in four adults in the country had at least one chronic illness in 2023. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has formed a new campaign that encourages Americans to exercise and eat healthier in an effort to prevent them from developing diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
The number of young adults with these conditions is also on the rise. That’s particularly worrying because an increase in chronic illnesses can translate into trillions of dollars in medical costs over the years.
Naturally, people with fewer chronic conditions have much lower medical costs. If lifestyle changes can prevent common health issues, then the simplest solution should be to encourage health-positive activities and reduce the amount of medications needed.
As with anything related to healthcare, however, the scenario is rarely as simple as it appears.
Why Reducing Medication Use Could Fail
Not all chronic illnesses are the result of lifestyle choices. For example, people battling type 1 diabetes or certain types of cancer could not have prevented the condition, no matter how much they exercised or how often they skipped dessert.
Additionally, when a stark connection is drawn between lifestyle and illness, a lot of blame is placed on those who are suffering, which is further complicated when solutions to ease their suffering are not at hand. Making lifestyle changes might help prevent some illnesses in the long run, but they don’t address the problem of high medication costs right now.
Another problem with this proposal is that it doesn’t tackle the root cause of the problem: pharmaceutical companies. When these companies notice that their profit margins are dropping because people take fewer medications, they could hike up prices once again to meet shareholder expectations.
Are There Solutions?
There is no magic wand to wave to lower prescription drug costs immediately, but some progress has been made.
The Biden administration passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which helped by capping monthly insulin costs at just $35 for those on Medicare. These cost reductions forced many pharmaceutical companies to offer the same rates for people covered by private insurance.
Additionally, the act allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of a number of drugs, including those for common chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. Under the new law, Medicare Part D beneficiaries now have an out-of-pocket spending cap of $2,000. The act also requires drug companies to pay rebates to Medicare if they increase prices.
The passage of further legislation in this vein could tackle the underlying cause of why so many people can’t afford their medications. It’s unclear whether this will happen, however. And if it does, it will not happen quickly. So, what can people do when they need help now?
For those who have chronic conditions and struggle to purchase prescription drugs, medication assistance programs can make a difference. These programs identify alternative funding to help patients access medications or connect them with generic options that could save them significant amounts every month.
Get Affordable Access to Prescription Medications
Simplefill is a full-service prescription assistance company that researches, qualifies, and maintains patients’ enrollment in all sources of assistance available to them.
Apply today by calling 877-386-0206. A caring Simplefill representative will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your application and, if qualified, enroll you in the program.
blog