KFF Analysis: TrumpRx Prices Split Roughly 50-50

Consumers who buy brand-name prescription drugs without an available generic or biosimilar through TrumpRx are about as likely to pay more as they are to pay less than the average price for the same drug in other wealthy countries. That is the central finding of a September 24, 2026 analysis from KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), a nonprofit organization that tracks health policy and health costs. The full analysis is available on KFF's website.

TrumpRx is a website launched in coordination with pharmaceutical manufacturers to post direct-to-consumer prices for certain brand-name drugs, generally sold outside of insurance. It operates separately from Medicare Part D formularies and from the drug price negotiation program created under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. According to KFF, its finding applies specifically to brand-name drugs that do not yet have a generic or biosimilar competitor. A generic drug is a lower-cost, chemically identical copy of a brand-name drug that becomes available once patent protections expire; a biosimilar is the equivalent concept for complex biologic drugs, such as many injectable treatments used for arthritis or diabetes-related conditions. Drugs without either type of competitor tend to carry the highest list prices and include many long-term treatments for diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions.

KFF compared TrumpRx's publicly posted prices for these drugs to the publicly listed prices for the same drugs in other high-income countries. According to KFF, TrumpRx prices are cheaper than the international average for many of these drugs, but the analysis also found that TrumpRx prices are almost as likely to be higher than the international average as they are to be lower. In other words, the site does not consistently undercut prices paid abroad, even though it has been described as a lower-cost option for consumers seeking brand-name medications.

Key Takeaway

A lower price on TrumpRx is not guaranteed. Before buying a brand-name drug through TrumpRx, compare it against your Medicare Part D plan's negotiated price, a pharmacy discount card, and any manufacturer patient assistance program, since one of those options may still cost less.

Why This Matters More for Seniors Than for Younger Consumers

Older adults are more likely than younger adults to take brand-name drugs with no generic or biosimilar alternative, often for chronic conditions that require years of continuous treatment. That makes the drug category KFF studied, brand-name drugs without a generic competitor, disproportionately relevant to the out-of-pocket costs Medicare enrollees face, particularly for specialty-tier medications where Part D coinsurance can run into hundreds of dollars a month. If a website positioned as a source of lower drug prices is, according to KFF, about as likely to charge more as less compared with prices paid abroad, seniors who skip comparison shopping could end up paying more, not less, for a drug they need long-term.

How TrumpRx Pricing Differs From Medicare Part D Pricing

A TrumpRx list price is not the same as what a Medicare Part D plan negotiates with its pharmacy benefit manager, and it is not the same as the negotiated prices the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has set for a limited list of drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The TrumpRx price, a Part D plan's negotiated price, and a manufacturer's direct patient assistance price can all differ for the exact same medication in the exact same month. KFF's analysis does not conclude that TrumpRx is a poor option, only that consumers should not assume it is automatically the cheapest one available to them.

What Medicare Enrollees Should Check Before Switching Where They Buy a Drug

Readers currently taking a brand-name drug without a generic equivalent have a few concrete steps to take before assuming TrumpRx offers savings:

Check your current Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan's formulary and negotiated price for the drug first, since that price already reflects your plan's coverage tier and any deductible you have met this year.
Ask your pharmacist to compare the TrumpRx list price against your plan's price and against a pharmacy discount card price for the same drug and dose.
Contact the drug manufacturer directly to ask about a patient assistance program, which can sometimes beat both insurance and direct-to-consumer pricing for enrollees who meet income eligibility rules.
If cost remains a barrier, ask a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor or a licensed Medicare agent whether you qualify for Extra Help, the federal program that lowers Part D premiums and copays for people with limited income and resources.

The broader lesson from KFF's September 2026 analysis is that no single source, including a government-affiliated pricing website, should be treated as the default lowest-cost option for a brand-name drug with no generic alternative. Comparing prices across your Medicare plan, retail pharmacies, discount cards, and TrumpRx before each purchase remains the most reliable way to manage costs for medications you may need to take for years.