Trump Bought Stock in Drugmaker Whom It Then Boosted Through Policy

"On May 14, the federal government released ethics disclosures revealing a list of stock and bond trades made on Trump's behalf from January to March of this year. They included extensive trades across the economy, including investments in tech giants such as Microsoft and Nvidia, aerospace firms such as Boeing, and household-name companies such as Target and Chipotle."

"In healthcare, however, the trades for Lilly - a company valued by the stock market at just under $1 trillion - stand out. That's because the timing of Trump's purchases coincides with several favorable government decisions benefiting the drugmaker's GLP-1 business, including progress toward a long-held goal: qualifying the drugs for reimbursement from Medicare, the government health insurance program primarily serving seniors, when they are prescribed for weight loss."

"The disclosure forms - which bear Trump's distinct signature - give ranges rather than exact dollar amounts for the trades. They show seven purchases of Lilly stock made on the president's behalf through the end of March, the first of which occurred on Jan. 6."

"Perhaps the biggest was an initiative from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which was proposing a pilot program - a temporary "bridge," potentially followed by permanent reimbursement - through which Medicare patients would pay $50 a month for GLP-1 drugs."

Federal ethics disclosures released May 14 list stock and bond trades made on Trump’s behalf from January to March. The trades include activity across multiple sectors, including technology, aerospace, and consumer companies. Healthcare trades stand out because purchases of Eli Lilly stock align with favorable government decisions affecting Lilly’s GLP-1 business. The timing includes progress toward Medicare reimbursement for GLP-1 drugs when prescribed for weight loss. Disclosures show seven Lilly stock purchases made through the end of March, with the first occurring Jan. 6. The disclosures use ranges rather than exact dollar amounts. A major related action involved a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposal for a Medicare pilot program with $50 monthly payments for GLP-1 drugs.

Read at Truthout