What Brokers Should Know About TrumpRx

The Trump administration’s new drug pricing initiative, TrumpRx, is creating meaningful conversation across the benefits industry. By pushing direct-to-consumer drug pricing and aggressive cost-reduction measures, the program has the potential to shift how prescription benefits are structured within employer-sponsored health plans nationwide.

For brokers and consultants, the takeaway is simple: change is coming, and preparing your clients now will put them in a stronger position later. Here’s what to watch.

How TrumpRx Could Affect Employer Health Plans

TrumpRx is designed to lower pharmacy costs by:

• Directing patients to purchase medications directly from manufacturers at government-negotiated prices
• Using international benchmarks to cap certain drug costs
• Increasing pressure on manufacturers to offer deeper discounts

While these goals may lower out-of-pocket costs for some consumers, they also challenge the traditional PBM structure employers rely on today. As the landscape evolves, employers may experience:

• Potential shifts in drug access, pricing, or formulary design
• Pressure to align with newly publicized price benchmarks
• Added complexity to their existing pharmacy benefit strategy

This is where brokers play an increasingly important role, helping clients navigate uncertainty and maintain plan stability without sacrificing quality or cost efficiency.

What Brokers Can Do Right Now

A proactive approach will set your clients up for success. Consider:

1. Access current pharmacy benefit strategies
   1. Understand where pricing shifts could impact each client’s plan
2. Stay informed
   1. Regulations are still taking shape. Keeping up with new announcements is essential.
3. Educate your clients
   1. Share updates early and help employers understand how TrumpRx may affect their plan design.
4. Remain flexible
   1. Implementation will unfold over time. Being adaptable protects both you and your clients.
5. Lean on partners who specialize in cost containment
   1. Working with an experienced pharmacy benefits team can help you identify solutions that keep plans competitive.

How 90 Degree Benefits Support You

At 90 Degree Benefits, we help brokers turn uncertainty into opportunity. Our pharmacy cost-containment expertise, including RightTurnRx™, gives you the tools to:

• Reduce drug spend through strategic PBM procurement
• Strengthen contracts with data-driven evaluation
• Improve outcomes with clinical oversight and member-focused engagement

We’re here to help you evaluate evolving policy changes, protect your clients’ bottom lines, and deliver a smarter pharmacy benefit strategy no matter how the market shifts.

Conclusion

How will TrumpRx impact employer pharmacy costs?

TrumpRx may lower certain drug prices by introducing government-negotiated, direct-to-consumer pricing. However, it could also create new variability in employer pharmacy

costs. Because TrumpRx operates outside traditional PBM contracts, employers may see changes in formulary alignment, pricing guarantees, and rebate structures. In many cases, costs won’t disappear—they’ll shift. The real impact will depend on how individual plans are structured and how PBMs respond to federal pricing benchmarks.

What should brokers do right now?

Brokers should begin by reviewing each client’s current pharmacy benefit strategy to identify where pricing shifts could create risk or opportunity. Staying updated on TrumpRx guidance is essential, as the program is still evolving. Most importantly, brokers should proactively educate employers about potential changes and partner with pharmacy benefit experts who can help model scenarios, compare PBM options, and maintain cost stability during the transition.

Does TrumpRx replace PBMs?

No. TrumpRx does not replace PBMs. Instead, it introduces an alternative pathway for certain medications using government-negotiated prices. Employers will still rely on PBMs for formulary management, claims processing, specialty drug oversight, clinical programs, and network administration. TrumpRx may influence how PBMs structure contracts or pricing strategies, but it does not eliminate the need for PBM services in employer-sponsored health plans.

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REFERENCES

“TrumpRx: How the Drug Pricing Program Works.” https://govfacts.org/explainer/trumprx-how-the-drug-pricing-program-works/ “Inside TrumpRx and its unusual launch.” https://cthosp.org/daily-news-clip/inside-trumprx-and-its-unusual-launch/ “Trump Announces ‘TrumpRx,’ a Government-Run Direct-To-Consumer Drug Website.” https://www.notus.org/healthcare/drug-prices-trumprx-pfizer “Creating unique health plan solutions – 90 Degree Benefits.” https://90degreebenefits.com/solutions/