More than 4 million Americans who purchase affordable prescription drugs will be able to continue doing so without navigating extra hurdles, but only until Jan. 20, 2027, Customs and Border Protection said.
CBP had planned to stop allowing prescription drugs to cross borders duty-free and with little to no paperwork on Oct. 22. Instead, these packages were to go through an automated process requiring documentation, tariffs and other specific product details the Food and Drug Administration requires.
The change effectively meant Americans, mostly seniors, who buy cheaper prescription drugs directly from pharmacies in other countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, would no longer have easy access to necessary medications at affordable prices, pharmacy experts said. The changes could also possibly lead some to stop taking medication they needed, experts said.
The 90-day delay in implementing the new policy is welcomed to give people more time to prepare, but the larger problem remains, pharmacy experts said.
“CBP’s decision to delay its new rule gives patients a tiny amount of breathing room through the holidays, and we very much welcome it,” said Ken Hunter, executive director of the nonprofit Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation that advocates for Americans’ access to affordable and safe prescription drugs. “However, the CBP still intends to apply these dangerous requirements to all international mail shipments of personal prescription medication. With this slight extension, consumers are just one additional drug refill away from being cut off.”
What Is CBP’s Plan?
Instead of implementing new package processing rules on Oct. 22 that advocates say could delay shipments, lead to them being refused or make them too costly for patients, CBP said it’s delaying implementation to Jan. 20, 2027.
“The 90-day extension provides importers, brokers, and logistics providers additional time to update their processes while helping avoid disruptions to certain international postal shipments destined for the United States,” CBP said on its website.
Starting Jan. 20, all international packages will have to go through a stricter entry process that will require more documentation and, if they are drugs, more FDA scrutiny. The change stems from President Donald Trump’s indefinite suspension last year of the de minimis rule that allowed low-value shipments of $800 or less to enter the country without restrictions and tax-free.
How Should Americans Use These 90 Days?
Americans who depend on these affordable prescription drugs should “not wait to order resupply,” Hunter said. “Ask your doctor to get an additional prescription and your pharmacy to order them. You should also ask your doctor if there’s another drug you can afford in the U.S., or you can travel to another country to get your medication.”
Americans also must keep pressuring Congress and the White House, Hunter said.
“For patients concerned about losing access to lower-cost prescriptions from abroad, this delay is a welcome reprieve, but not a permanent solution,” said Merith Basey, chief executive of Patients For Affordable Drugs, a nonprofit advocacy group. “Until patients in the U.S. can get access to the prescription drugs they need at prices they can afford, disrupting existing personal-importation practices risks an important safety valve.”
Hunter said “the pressure on the Administration and Congress has been significant,” regarding the Oct. 22 date. “Our members have sent more than 113,000 letters to Congress in just several weeks. Lawmakers are taking notice as we’ve seen dozens of Representatives and Senators on both sides of the aisle sign letters demanding the CBP halt this new rule. We are asking the White House to ensure that any final rule includes a specific protection for Americans’ continued access to imported medications.”
Earlier this month, 71 members of Congress, led by Democratic Reps. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, signed a letter asking agencies to delay the procedures for prescription medicines unless personal-use drugs were exempted.
Ultimately, though, Congress needs to address prescription drug costs head-on, some said.
“While many people have taken this route of purchasing drugs from Canadian pharmacies, the bigger issue is that U.S. insurers are allowed to offer plans that can have poor or complete lack of coverage for some drugs and expensive co-insurance, here in the U.S.,” said Mary Johnson, an independent Medicare and Social Security policy analyst. “When people feel forced to go to Canadian pharmacies to afford their prescriptions, that means private U.S. insurers don’t foot the bill and the companies and their stockholders pocket the profits.”
Medicare beneficiaries need to be particularly vigilant at comparing Part D or Medicare Advantage plan choices during open enrollment, which began Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, she said.
How Much Cheaper Are Medications from Overseas?
U.S. consumers can save 52% to 89%, with an average of more than 64%, by ordering 90-day supplies from licensed Canadian pharmacies instead of paying higher cash prices to U.S. GoodRx or Amazon, CPPI estimates.
For example, online consumer health watchdog The People’s Pharmacy compared the cost of the antidepressant Wellbutrin XL 300. The retail price for a month’s worth of Wellbutrin XL 300 was at least $2,500 in the U.S., compared to less than $200 for a three-month supply from an online Canadian pharmacy.
“Give that price differential more than a 5-second consideration,” wrote Joe Graedon, a pharmacologist and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy, in a blog. “That is a lot of money, even for someone who is well off financially.”
Medora Lee is a money, markets and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.
Reporting by Medora Lee, USA TODAY
Add a Comment