He’s still trying new grifts that flop and fade away. Remember the cellular phones? Or the gold sneakers? Or the steaks? He’s had more flops than wins by a substantial amount. He never gives up trying to get more money from suckers who should know better. But they don’t, and then they’re stuck ‘holding the bag’ when it dies a quiet death. With gratitude to Raw Story:
President Donald Trump has called his rollout of TrumpRx “the biggest thing ever to happen on drug prices” and claimed the achievement alone “should win us the midterms.” But critics rolled their eyes Thursday night after the official launch, particularly taking issue with his math not quite adding up, and pointing to the “fine print” that undercuts his boasts.
Isn’t this always the way it turns out? Big, big promises, no actual results. He’s hoping it will help with midterms. Well, y’know, Trump is not necessarily going to help Republicans win elections, because he’s getting really toxic. I was advised that he’s now ranked as the worst president of all time. His numbers are so far underwater that he can’t see daylight. Whether or not a Republican is a wimp anyhow, it’s likely to hurt more than help.
The new government website connects patients with discounted medications and printable coupons, capping Trump’s year-long pressure campaign against big pharmaceuticals using tariff threats and expedited FDA reviews. At the Eisenhower Executive Office Building demonstration, Trump’s team, including controversial Department of Government Efficiency official Edward Coristine [aka Big Balls. Remember this guy? Ugh.]
And TV personality-turned-head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mehmet Oz, showed off how Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic could drop from $1,000 to $350 monthly. “You will see dramatic reductions in the cost of popular weight loss drugs known as GLP-1s. GLP-1s. Novo Nordisk will be slashing the price, as an example, of Ozempic from more than $1,000 to $199. And the price of Wegovy from more than $1,300 to $199. Nobody can even believe it. A 578% difference.”
If anything shows up in my email from Oz, it just gets deleted. They aren’t even read. He’s full of it. How in the hell a TV personality can get the position he’s in just pisses me off. But back to TrumpRx. We all know Trump can’t math. We know you can’t change something by more than 100%. And it doesn’t say anything about *availability*. Last I heard, it was damn hard to get it. So here are some comments, and then we’ll close.
Jeff Domingues, editor at S&P Global, shot back on X, “No, it’s an 84.7% decrease. I constantly keep http://Percentagecalculator.net occupying a browser tab as a copy editing resource.” //// EU citizen Roland Ley chided on X, “Math. Not Trump’s strength, like so many other things aren’t either.” //// Software sales professional Dan Gleason pointed to the “fine print” showing the discounted prices were a limited-time offer for the first two monthly refills of Ozempic for new patients. He noted the price increased to $349 and $499 for months three and four.
Erin Ryan, writer and host of the Crooked Media podcast “Hysteria,” jabbed on X, “Can science invent an injection that makes lazy adults understand basic math.” //// The progressive Call to Activism social media account wrote on X, “TRUMP FAILS AT MATH Trump brags about drug prices, claiming: Ozempic will drop from $1,000 to $199… a 578% difference.’ That’s false. That’s an 80% cut, not 578%. Even worse? The ‘price cuts’ are for first time patients for a LIMITED-TIME. A farce. //// Author and former freelance journalist Tracy Solomon wrote on X, “Aside from Trump needing a calculator, he also forgot to mention this is an introductory price only. There should always be captions with facts and added information while he speaks.”
Why can’t Trump manage anything important, like reining in ICE or doing something about the economy like a normal human being? Okay, no. Trump and normal don’t belong in the same document, let alone in the same sentence. If he put half the effort into America that he wastes on these failed ideas, we might be in better shape. Instead, here is his latest attempt at a grift. We should start counting the days from the announcement to see how fast it vanishes.
Because I was curious, I went looking for a list of Trump “things” that have failed, and it’s a lot more than I expected. I’m going to compile the list, and I’ll post it sometime at oh dark hundred in the morning. I did the “Epstein names list” just for fun, but this will be even better. We’ll have things to laugh about. Ha!
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise that among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest-working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
So now that Republicans have allowed the ACA’s benefits and perks to expire, Shitzinpants’ brilliance comes up with this boondoggle to smooth everything over.
Now, by his grace and greatness, that $30 high blood pressure med now will cost you ONLY $25!!!….a FIVE DOLLAR SAVINGS!!! ( first filling only)
What’s not mentioned is with their loss of insurance due to unaffordable premiums, the insured $20 doctor’s office examination fee to refill that prescription will now run you $300 per visit. A net loss of $295.
….but take heart!!!….if you can afford cut rate insurance, with cut rate coverage, that $300 goes toward your $3000 deductable……net, still a loss of $295.
*smirk*
Oh, this was just beautiful, if heartbreaking. I have a grudge against Republicans for letting those expire. Friends of mine are caught in this.
But still *snerk*snark* and as you said, *smirk*
A couple of points:
First, this:
“Novo Nordisk will be slashing the price, as an example, of Ozempic from more than $1,000 to $199. And the price of Wegovy from more than $1,300 to $199. Nobody can even believe it. A 578% difference.”
As was noted in the next block quote, that’s not right. A greater-than-100% decrease means the price hasn’t simply been reduced but it results in the consumer literally being paid to take the item. A mere 100% decrease means there’s no cost to the consumer.
Now, if you work the math the other way (from the lowered price to the higher price), the math would be closer to correct. The Wegovy price, for instance. If the price started at $199 and increased to $1300, the math involved is that you take the two figures and find the difference (so, $1300 – $199 = $1101). Then take that difference and divide the number by the ORIGINAL number, in this case “$199” (so, $1101 ÷ $199 = 5.53266) and convert that result into a percentage. This part may be confusing for people but, simply put, you move the decimal point two places to the right. 76% is the same way as saying 76/100 or 76 ÷ 100 which converts to 0.76 in decimal terms so 76% = 0.76. So applying that little math “trick” to our above result, the Wegovy price going from $199 to $1300 would result in a 553.266% increase.
And, may all the gods protect us if the Drumpf administration “experts” are doing math this way.
My second point is that on Thursday MORNING, I saw a little news blurb on my AOL news feed about this. The article mentioned the administration’s PLANNED announcement about the deal but also failed to actually give the website URL or any link to it. And yet, there was a comment comparing it to the Affordable Care Act and how much “better” it worked and how it had no bugs or anything. He also made a point that he doesn’t have any regular prescription drugs and that he had no real skin in the game and it was on that point that several responders attacked his comment. I, on the other hand, pointed out the “website” hadn’t actually been put into operation; that the article said Drumpf was planning to announce the launch later that night. My guess was that the commenter was a paid shill or just a delusional plant who was there to fluff the piece against criticisms.
Thank you for explaining the percentages. Seriously! They confuse me and always have, no idea why. I appreciate it greatly.
As to the second part, well, since I just found out about this yesterday as you can see. I didn’t even know there was supposed to *be* one. The irony on this whole thing is ridiculous.
I always appreciate your comments and information, even if you sometimes annoy the hell out of me. 😉 Thank you.