(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump held a roundtable on rural health care Friday with members of his administration, as federal spending cuts have left some communities bracing for impact.
During the discussion — which included Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Medicare and Medicaid administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz — Trump vowed to help rural communities get the support they need to modernize facilities and technologies.
In his opening remarks, Trump spoke about his efforts to get most-favored-nation pricing for prescription drugs, saying that he is bringing prices down many times.
The administration has signed some deals with pharmaceutical companies; however, the lower prices apply mainly to Medicaid patients, not to those with employer-provided or marketplace insurance, or for drugs purchased directly from manufacturers via the TrumpRX website.
At times, the president veered into other topics, including his tariff plans and his desire for the U.S. to own Greenland, as well as immigration and fraud allegations in Minnesota.
Oz emphasized fertility drugs, saying that bringing down prices would result in “so many Trump babies.”
The event came a day after the White House unveiled a health care proposal that focuses on lowering prescription drug prices, reducing health insurance premiums and mandating transparency on pricing.
Cuts to federal spending and Medicaid have left rural communities reeling, with many relying on federal dollars to keep the doors open in underserved areas.
In communities where a significant portion of the population relies on Medicaid, some are afraid cuts could affect people’s ability to access health care and that a drop in income could harm clinics and practitioners.
The Trump administration announced a federal rural health fund intended to make up for the cuts, but it will cover only about a third of the funds.