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Thursday, December 5, 2019

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Broad Coalition of Advocates Announces Campaign to Urge Congress to Vote Yes on Lower Drug Costs Now Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, a broad coalition of health care and patient advocates, including Health Care Voter, Protect Our Care, Health Care for America NOW, MomsRising and the Alliance for Retired Americans announced a weeks-long campaign to push for passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act. 

In the coming weeks, the coalition will hold events across the country, including in Arizona, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin, to call on Congress to vote for the bill and thank members for their support. The full list of events can be viewed here. The campaign will be supported by seven-figures’ worth of digital ads from Health Care Voter and Protect Our Care.

“We are fighting for the health of the nation,” said Congresswoman Alma Adams. “One in four Americans struggled to pay for their prescribed medicine in the last year. Thirty-four million Americans know someone who died because they couldn’t afford their prescription drugs. Yet, drug prices have risen at five times the rate of inflation. I’m proud to support legislation like H.R. 3, which would give Medicare the power to demand lower prescription drug prices and rein in drug corporations that are pricing people out of survival.” 

“One in four people in our nation have had to ration their insulin treatment because their doses are too expensive. The price of these drugs for millions of Americans has sky-rocketed, and mothers and fathers are being forced to choose between buying life-saving medications for their children, or enrolling them in their after school programs,” said Congresswoman Lucy McBath. “The health of American families should never be compromised so big drug companies can make record profits. I am proud to be fighting to pass H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, legislation that takes real steps toward easing the burden of expensive medications on our communities. It’s our duty in Congress to make sure that health care in our country is accessible and affordable for American families.”

“Insulin rationing is the embodiment of the prescription drug crisis. One in four people reported rationing insulin — sometimes fatally — because it was too expensive to purchase the normal dosage,” said Health Care Voter Campaign Director Rosemary Enobakhare. “Profit-hungry drug companies have price gouged insulin so dramatically that it has tripled in price over the last few years, and has become unaffordable. Congress bears the moral imperative to ensure health in the United States is achievable and affordable, and we must start by passing the Lower Drug Costs Now Act.”

“Congress has a real opportunity to deliver on their promise to lower prescription drug prices for Americans by passing the Lower Drug Prices Now Act this year,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “The American people overwhelmingly support the bold measures of the House Democrats’ bill that give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices and reins in drug companies for creating a rigged system. Republicans’ continued objection to this legislation proves they’re more interested in protecting drug companies and their profits than taking action to lower health care costs for Americans.” 

“H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Act, is the biggest step forward on making prescription medicine affordable we’ve seen in a long time,” said Health Care for America Now Executive Director Margarida Jorge. “Not only does it finally lift the prohibition that prevents Medicare from negotiating lower prices with the drug corporations on hundreds of common drugs, it also extends the lower prices to people with private coverage and creates new rules that stop drug manufacturers from price-gouging so that more patients can get the medicines they need. Although Big Pharma’s army of lobbyists and their Republican allies led by Senator Mitch McConnell continue to work against the bill, House Democrats must forge forward, pass this legislation and show their constituents which side they are on when it comes to lowering prices on prescriptions.”

“America’s moms are deeply concerned about the exorbitant cost of prescription medications. Too many of us are rationing or going without the medicine we need because costs are skyrocketing,” said Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “We need the House to pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act right away, and the Senate to fast-track it as well. Lives are at stake. We URGE Congress to prioritize our health over corporate greed. The time for action is now!”

Among other key provisions, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act gives Medicare the power to demand lower drug prices from drug corporations on behalf of consumers. Non-partisan experts found Medicare negotiating lower drug prices could reduce prices as much as 55 percent for consumers, and nearly nine in ten Americans support giving Medicare the power to demand lower drug prices for consumers.

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