American healthcare is too expensive. This is particularly true of brand-name drugs. Although our nation accounts for 4.2% of the world’s population, we consume 13% of the world’s prescription drugs and pay half of the world’s costs for these products. GLP-1 drugs are a case in point…Drug companies need FDA approval before they can market a newly patented drug. Unlike other countries, the FDA can’t consider a new medication’s price or the existence of equally effective, lower-cost alternatives in reaching its decision…Once FDA approval is secured, Medicare typically covers the the drug’s cost because it is not allowed to negotiate with drug companies as other countries do…It’s the main reason the U.S. pays far higher prices than other countries…Rather than bankrupt the federal treasury or, alternatively, pass the costs on to states and tens of millions of American families, Congress should focus on lowering costs and improving the value of American healthcare.