Will Washington finally do something about high drug prices?

If people in this polarized nation can agree on one thing, it is that prescription drug prices are too high, and that the federal government should do something about it. But it seems unlikely that Congress or the administration will do enough this year to satisfy an enraged public.

In the end, if Washington doesn’t overcome industry resistance to reform — in particular, letting the government negotiate the price of drugs purchased by Medicare — whatever actions it takes will be seen as too little, too late by American voters in 2020.

The reasons why incumbents can be expected to pay a price at the polls are no surprise. A new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that one in four people taking prescription drugs say they have difficulty affording their medication. What is more, 79 percent see the current costs of drugs as unreasonable.