“No More Excuses. Let Medicare Negotiate. Now.”
| WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now released a new video featuring patients from across the country demanding that Congress follow through on promises to lower drug prices by passing the reforms in the Build Back Better Act. The two-minute video, titled “Patient Voices From Across America: A Message To Congress,” features 11 patient advocates who explain the personal impact of high drug prices and why Congress must move forward with the drug pricing reforms that will deliver relief to patients like them. “Now Congress is finally poised to let Medicare negotiate,” Kris, a patient from Denver who lives with four bleeding disorders, including hemophilia, says in the video. “It’s the most popular feature of the Build Back Better Act. More than 80 percent of Americans support it,” Marcus, from Cincinnati, who lives with type 1 diabetes, continues. Therese, from Ogden Dunes, Indiana, who lives with multiple sclerosis, adds, “We need Congress to finally stand up to the big drug companies and get it done.” Jacquie, from Waterloo, Iowa, who lives with Crohn’s disease, concludes, “We’ve never been closer. Don’t let this moment slip away.” The drug price provisions currently under consideration by the Senate will, for the first time, authorize Medicare to negotiate prices directly for some of the most expensive prescription medicines, including insulin; institute a hard cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries and on insulin copays for millions of patients; and limit annual drug price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. The final image of the video reads, “Stop Price Gouging. Lower Out-Of-Pocket. Let Medicare Negotiate. Now.” P4ADNow started off the year by releasing two ads, one in Washington, D.C., and one in West Virginia, calling on members of Congress to pass a reconciliation package including the already negotiated drug pricing reforms from the Build Back Better Act. P4ADNow also sent a joint letter with AARP emphasizing that the Senate must pass the landmark drug pricing reforms. A new report from P4AD takes a closer look at the drug industry’s price hikes and its impact on patients, underscoring the urgent need for Congress to act. Read the video transcript below and watch the full video here. Patients are available to speak with press upon request. |
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| TRANSCRIPT: Eighteen years ago, pharma won a sweetheart deal that prohibits Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices. – Jacquie Persson As a result, we’re paying almost four times what other nations pay for the same brand-name drugs. – Kami Guiden I’ve had to ration my drugs and go without because the price is so high. No American should have to do that. – Iesha Meza Now Congress is finally poised to let Medicare negotiate, but the only way to pass it is with 50 votes through reconciliation. – Kris Garcia We’re so close. – Clayton McCook It’s the most popular feature of the Build Back Better Act. More than 80 percent of Americans support it. – Marcus LaCour Any reconciliation deal must include it. – Kris Garcia Lily will need insulin for the rest of her life. We need the reforms in Build Back Better to cap insulin copays for millions of people with diabetes. – Clayton McCook I’m on Medicare, and capping out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 will help me and millions of other patients. – Maureen Iten Pharma jacks up prices every year. Limiting price increases to the rate of inflation would really help me. – Meg Jackson-Drage Congress has talked and talked. Now’s the time to get it done. – Lauren Stanford The votes are there. It can happen. The only thing in the way is opposition from Big Pharma. – Sheldon Armus We need Congress to finally stand up to the big drug companies and get it done. – Therese Ball Drug price reform must be included in any reconciliation package. – Iesha Meza No more excuses. – Maureen Iten No more political games. – Clayton McCook Stop price gouging, lower out-of-pocket, and let Medicare negotiate. – Kami Guiden We’ve never been closer. Don’t let this moment slip away. – Jacquie Persson |
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