The Palm Beach Post has a healthcare series called Aging in the Golden Years focused on navigating the financial and physical challenges to emerge as more people reach advanced age and, along with their children, confront a reality for which they will need help preparing. We want to hear what questions you have as you and your loved ones enter new territory. Email Post reporter Anne Geggis your questions at ageggis@usatodayco.com.
The millions of Floridians who don’t have health insurance will be able to choose from an expanded catalog of 600 generic prescriptions on the TrumpRx.gov platform, President Donald Trump announced May 18.
And it might offer lower prices than the out-of-pocket costs found on insured prescription plans, Trump said.
The direct-to-consumer website, which went live in February, has been part of the Trump administration’s bid to lower Americans’ prescription drug prices, even if the price of going to the doctor has gone up.
The president has long complained about how the same prescriptions, such as GLP-1 medications, which Trump calls “the fat shot,” have been notably less expensive in other developed nations. Following the launch of TrumpRx, the Trump administration negotiated most-favored nation deals with 17 large drug companies.
“We were subsidizing the world and now there’s no more of that,” Trump said as the site launched Feb. 5.
Still, there was a snag: Up until May 18, the website had only brand-name drugs from those 17 companies available.
Now, however, TrumpRx will refer people to private-sector online pharmacies and drug-pricing websites, including television personality and entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs, Amazon Pharmacy and GoodRx.
“By incorporating this massive catalog of low-cost generics at TrumpRx.gov, consumers will now have one source to ensure that they’re getting the lowest possible cost on their prescriptions,” Trump said. “… They’ve never had anything like this, or even close with these additions. TrumpRx will feature the best and lowest prices on prescriptions used by tens of millions of Americans already, and in some cases, the discounted generics available through TrumpRx may be offered at an even lower cash price than the out-of-pocket insurance costs.”
Florida is among the states with the highest rates of residents without health insurance, tied with Nevada with 13.6% of people between the ages of 0 and 64 uninsured, according to KFF, a national health policy research organization. Texas has the highest percentage, followed by Georgia and Oklahoma, according to KFF’s calculations.
What generic drugs will be offered on TrumpRx?
The White House fact sheet on the new initiative did not offer an extensive list of which generics, but it did say that new offerings on the site would include generics such as the cholesterol medicine atorvastatin, blood thinner clopidogrel, high blood pressure medication lisinopril, and diabetes prescription metformin. Controlled substances that require a risk evaluation before prescribing will not be included through this direct-to-consumer channel.
Can you use TrumpRx if you have insurance?
At no point in the transactions on TrumpRx is insurance used. But it could be a work-around for high out-of-pocket prices seen with high-deductible insurance plans.
Here’s how it works:
Patients search for the medicine of their choice and TrumpRx displays discounted drug pricing offers. It does not sell or dispense drugs, however. Patients can access the drugs through the instructions shown for each individual drug offer. Often, it’s a coupon or a link to the manufacturer’s offer. The coupon can be added to your phone’s digital wallet or you may be directed to a manufacturer’s website.
If you received a coupon, provide it to the pharmacist where the prescription has been sent. If the drug is available through the manufacturer’s own direct-to-consumer website, the prescription should be sent there.
Will going to the doctor get any less expensive?
The latest announcement involves prescription costs, concern about which has never been higher, according to a KFF survey. Getting to the doctor, though, will remain a challenge for Florida’s uninsured, which number about 2.5 million, according to KFF.
A recent analysis found that as many as 5 million Americans no longer have insurance through the Affordable Care Act because the enhanced premium credits that were introduced during the pandemic ended on Dec. 31, 2026. The Trump administration’s far-reaching budget legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allowed them to expire. Florida, which had the highest percentage of any other state with 4.7 million residents enrolled in the government-supported health care program, had 4% fall off the rolls since the year began, according to a preliminary analysis.
The Palm Beach Post series, Aging in the Golden Years, focuses on navigating the financial and physical challenges that arise as more people reach advanced age. Thanks to our partner and fiscal sponsor, Journalism Funding Partners, verified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, tax ID #84-2968843, you can invest in the future of this reporting on the healthcare issues that matter most to Floridians. Make your tax-deductible donation today and support local journalism that serves the Palm Beach community.
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USA Today writer Ken Alltucker contributed to this report.
Anne Geggis is statewide reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK FLORIDA, reporting on health and senior issues. If you have news tips, please send them to ageggis@usatodayco.com. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida’s uninsured millions can get 600 generic drugs through TrumpRx
Reporting by Anne Geggis, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
