DENVER — Colorado patient advocate Kris Garcia will testify in front of the Colorado House Health and Insurance Committee today in support of SB 21-175, which would establish a prescription drug affordability board designed to deliver relief to Coloradans struggling with high drug prices.
Garcia, from Denver, lives with multiple bleeding disorders including hemophilia. He relies on a medication called Humate-P, which costs $10,000 per vial. Each time Garcia gets an infusion, he requires four vials.
“The cost of these prescriptions has affected many decisions in my life,” Garcia, a father of three, will say. “I had to give up my dream of being a business owner because of how expensive my medications were. I now work multiple jobs for almost 80 hours a week, just to afford my medications and other expenses.”
“I shouldn’t have to live in constant fear of financial ruin to my family just because of drug company prices,” Garcia will tell the committee. “I urge you to vote YES on SB 21-175. The bill would dramatically affect countless lives and save the livelihoods of Coloradans just like me. Please help fix this broken drug pricing system.”
SB 21-175 would create a prescription drug affordability board that would:
- Perform affordability reviews of prescription drugs;
- Establish upper payment limits for drugs that are determined to be unaffordable for Coloradans;
- Investigate, review, and establish more affordable prices for the most expensive and unaffordable drugs;
- Investigate and review when drug companies sharply increase the price of a specific drug.
Garcia previously advocated for SB 21-175 at a press conference in March.
The hearing and Garcia’s testimony can be watched here at 1:30 PM MT.
###