Welcome to the Week in Review (a day early, in observance of Juneteenth)
- Colorado Stands Up to Big Pharma
- In a big win for patients, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law SB 21-175, a bill that establishes a prescription drug affordability board. Colorado is the third state in the country to establish such a board, the first in the country to have a board with the authority to set upper payment limits, and the first in the country where set rates apply to all insurers. The new prescription drug affordability board, which has overwhelming support from Coloradans, is an important step to protecting patients and standing up to Big Pharma. — (AP)
2. Aduhelm: Medicare Negotiation Poster Child
- The pricey new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, which Biogen priced at $56,000, is set to cost taxpayers billions — and underscores exactly why we need Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Big Pharma cannot be allowed to keep dictating drug prices, in this case for an unproven drug, while taxpayers and patients empty their pockets. H.R. 3, the bill in the House to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices on behalf of Americans, would restore balance to our system so we can get real innovation at prices we can afford. — (The Washington Post)
3. NJ Patients Need Congress To Support H.R. 3
- P4ADNow founder David Mitchell penned an op-ed that calls on members of Congress, including Sen. Menendez and Rep. Gottheimer, to stand with New Jersey patients and pass H.R. 3. Mitchell explains the need for Medicare negotiation by highlighting New Jersey patient Lisa Wetzel-Trainor’s story about living with fibromyalgia, PTSD, and ADHD and struggling to afford her $1,000-a-month medication she is prescribed to treat her symptoms. More than 1 million Medicare patients in New Jersey would benefit from Medicare negotiation. “It’s time to act.” — (NJ Herald)
4. ?, Maine!
- The Maine state house and senate passed Making Health Care Work for Maine, a strong bipartisan package of five bills that stand up to Big Pharma. If signed into law, two of the bills — LD 675 and LD 1117 — will be the first legislation of its kind to protect patients from pharmaceutical price gouging and unjustified price increases. No patient should suffer so pharma can line its pockets. — (P4ADNow)
5. The People Have Spoken
- New KFF research confirms that prescription drug prices continue to be a top issue to American voters. Three in 10 Americans report they were unable to take their medication as prescribed because of the price. To bring relief to those patients, nearly nine of 10 Americans favor allowing the government to negotiate with drug companies for a lower price that would apply to both Medicare and private insurance. Pass H.R. 3, Congress! The people have your back! — (KFF)
Bonus?: Patients For Affordable Drugs Founder David Mitchell talks to Healthcare-NOW about the importance of Medicare negotiation, drug pricing and innovation, and the COVID-19 vaccine. — (Healthcare-NOW!)