He’s not Biden his time — the president wants Medicare negotiation now. Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. “We Have To Change This. And We Can.”
On Thursday, President Biden delivered an enthusiastic speechhighlighting how his Build Back Better agenda will call for Medicare to be allowed to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and extend negotiated prices to the private sector. The president urged Congress to move forward on legislation to deliver on his plan, which comprises a strong, comprehensive set of reforms that will deliver much-needed relief to Americans. “These prices put the squeeze on too many families and strip them of their dignity,” President Biden said. “Medicare is going to negotiate a fair price!” — (The Washington Post)
2. The Power Of Our Stories
President Biden featured patient advocate Gail deVore in his speech this week, and the White House released a video highlighting Gail’s one-on-one conversation with the president in the Oval Office. Gail lives with type 1 diabetes and uses Novolog insulin priced at $289 per vial. She was also invited to take over the White House Twitter account for a day. Gail, we are so proud of you for your tireless advocacy! Thank you for representingpatients across the country calling for immediate action to restore balance to our drug pricing system. — (The White House)
3.A Path Forward
This week, as Senate Democrats took the next step on their path toward a reconciliation package to deliver on the president’s Build Back Better agenda, it’s clear that Medicare negotiation is a critical piece of the plan. During the vote, a group of senators up for re-election led an amendmentemphasizing their commitment to ensuring the drug pricing policy is included in the package. In addition to lowering drug prices for patients, the policy would save hundreds of billions of dollars for taxpayers through direct drug savings as well as lower Part D premiums. This is the year we can get it done. — (Axios)
4. “It’s Killing Americans”
This weekend, P4ADNow will launch two new nationalads calling on Congress to lower drug prices by allowing Medicare negotiation. The ads, which will run throughout August recess, feature five patients who have struggled to afford their prescription drugs. The campaign also launched a website hub for patients to contact their members of Congress and write to their local publications in support of Medicare negotiation. “No one should have to drain their bank account for relief,” Ashley, a psoriatic arthritis patient, says in an ad. “The system is broken.” — (P4ADNow)
5. PhRMA’s Nose Grows
The Washington Post Fact Checker analyzed a new TV ad making the rounds from the drug industry lobby group PhRMA. The ad claims that the Medicare non-interference clause “protects access” to medicines and that negotiation would “make it harder for people on Medicare to get the medicines we need.” Fact Checker’s verdict? Three Pinocchios for misrepresenting Medicare negotiation as designed in H.R. 3 and for unsubstantiated fear-mongering. PhRMA is getting desperate as lawmakers work to hold the industry accountable — and now it shows it’s willing to lie to keep prices high. — (The Washington Post)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now announced it is launching two new national ads this weekend calling on Congress to lower drug prices by allowing Medicare negotiation. The six-figure push will start on Aug. 15 and run on CNN and MSNBC throughout August recess. The campaign includes twoads that feature patients who have struggled to afford their prescription drugs, as well as a new website hub for patient advocates to contact their members of Congress to demand passage of legislation to lower drug prices.
“Yesterday, we heard President Biden’s emphatic support for Congress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, a crucial part of his Build Back Better plan,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Mr. President, patients couldn’t agree more; members of Congress must deliver reforms that 90 percent of Americans support and pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices on behalf of Americans. As the president said, ‘We have to change this. And we can.’”
The first ad highlights three patient advocates: Steven, a blood cancer patient in Charlotte, North Carolina, who is prescribed a medication priced at $132,000 a year; Ashley, a psoriatic arthritis patient in Houston who relied on Humira, which is currently priced at $5,968 a month; and Gail, a type 1 diabetes patient in Denver who takes insulin priced at $280 per vial.
“No one should have to drain their bank account for relief,” Ashley says in the ad. “The system is broken.”
“The prices keep going up,” adds Gail, who recently met with President Biden to share her story of living with high drug prices. “It’s killing Americans.”
The second ad highlights Ashley; Jackie, a cancer patient in Muskego, Wisconsin, whose treatment, Revlimid, is priced at over $20,000 per month; and Marcus, who lives with type 1 diabetes in Cincinnati and struggles to afford his insulin.
“Because insulin is so expensive, I’ve had to skip and ration my doses,” Marcus, a husband, father, and minister says in the ad.
“It’s really simple,” Ashley explains. “Prescription drugs don’t work if people can’t afford them.”
Both ads will run on cable and end with the message, “Right now, there’s a plan in Congress to let Medicare negotiate lower drug prices. 90 percent of Americans support it. Tell Congress: Let Medicare negotiate now.”
This campaign launch comes on the heels of the Senate’s vote to move forward with drafting a legislative package to deliver on the president’s Build Back Better plan, which includes lowering drug prices through Medicare negotiation. In the House of Representatives, H.R. 3, which would allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of all Americans, was reintroduced in April. The Senate Finance Committee is reportedly working on similar proposals that would allow Medicare to negotiate.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gail deVore, a small business owner and volunteer patient advocate with Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, met with President Biden this month to share her story of living with high drug prices and to discuss the president’s Build Back Better plan, which would allow Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Gail, from Denver, lives with type 1 diabetes and takes insulin produced by Novolog, which is priced at $289 per vial.
Following Gail’s one-on-one meeting with President Biden in the Oval Office, Gail’s powerful story was highlighted during the president’s speech, in a new White House video, and in a Twitter takeover. Below is a recap.
Gail in President Biden’s speech
Today, President Biden shared Gail’s story in a speech on how his Build Back Better agenda will lower prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate.
“Last week in the Oval Office, I hosted a small business owner named Gail from Denver. She’s 60 years old. When she was 11, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. For nearly 50 years, she’s had to take insulin to stay alive. Do you know what she told me? She said she doesn’t worry about becoming blind or her blood sugar dropping dangerously low, the natural worries of anyone with type 1 diabetes. She worries about being able to pay for her prescription drugs.”
The president continued:
“And Gail is not alone. It is estimated that more than 34 million Americans, 10 percent of the population of the United States, have diabetes, including more than 1.5 million of those that have type 1 diabetes. And the outrageous cost affecting everyone across the board, spanning every kind of condition and disease, is similar … These prices put the squeeze on too many families and strip them of their dignity … Medicare is going to negotiate a fair price!’
This speech comes on the heels of the Senate’s vote to move forward with drafting a legislative package to deliver on the president’s Build Back Better plan, which includes lowering drug prices through Medicare negotiation. In the House of Representatives, H.R. 3, which would allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of all Americans, was reintroduced in April. The Senate Finance Committee is reportedly working on similar proposals that would allow Medicare to negotiate.
Gail at the White House video
This morning, the White House released a 90-second video highlighting Gail’s conversation with President Biden.
“In 2001, insulin was $39 a bottle — the same exact bottle of insulin with the same exact formula. The list price is now $280 a bottle,” Gail told the president. “Insulin is every day, every week, every month, every year for the rest of my life.”
The president responded, “In my view, health care is not a privilege. It should be a right. The only thing that Medicare is not allowed to negotiate for a price is a prescription drug. Only exception,” he continued. “And it’s long past time we change that. But to really solve the solution, Congress needs to act.”
Gail was also invited by the White House to take over its official Twitter account to share her personal story following the video release. See tweets below:
Gail is available to speak with press upon request.
###
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, in response to President Biden’s speech on how his Build Back Better agenda will lower prescription drug prices:
“President Biden’s speech today adds powerful momentum for reforms to lower prescription drug prices and for direct Medicare negotiation specifically. He couldn’t have said it more clearly: ‘These prices put the squeeze on too many families and strip them of their dignity … Medicare is going to negotiate a fair price!’ His conversation with patient advocate Gail deVore demonstrated once again that this president understands and will use the power of his office to achieve reforms we need and 90 percent of Americans support.
“The president also offered important details on his approach that we support, including focusing on a subset of expensive drugs, creating a framework for what constitutes a fair price to guide negotiators, powerful incentives to ensure companies agree to a reasonable price, penalties for raising prices faster than inflation, making lower negotiated prices available in the private sector, and capping out-of-pocket costs for patients. These comprise a strong, comprehensive set of policies to help all Americans.
“Today, I am more optimistic than ever that we are going to get this done.”
Background:
This speech comes on the heels of the Senate’s vote to move forward with drafting a legislative package to deliver on the president’s Build Back Better plan, which includes lowering drug prices through Medicare negotiation.President Biden‘s Build Back Better plan builds on his campaign promise to lower prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate.
Since then, the president has doubled down on his commitment, and he strongly reaffirmed his support for lower drug prices through Medicare negotiation.
The Senate Finance Committee is reportedly drafting a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate that is likely to be included in the Senate’s final reconciliation package. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Wyden recently released his guiding principles for drug pricing reform, which are expected to be included in the bill. Chairman Wyden said, “We are moving aggressively to put together a prescription drug package that protects those millions of Americans who believe they’re getting mugged at the pharmacy.”
The Wall Street Journal reported, “Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders has said he hopes to include provisions allowing the federal government to negotiate prices for certain costly drugs in Medicare.”
House leadership has been clear they plan to include Medicare negotiation in the reconciliation package.In a press call, Speaker Pelosisaid she wants to include Medicare negotiation in the budget bill. “We have an extraordinary opportunity to do this as we craft this reconciliation bill,” she told reporters.
In May, 156 House Democrats — 70 percent of the House Democratic caucus — signed a letter urging the Biden administration to include Medicare negotiation to lower drug prices in the American Families Plan.
In June, 15 vulnerable House Democratssent a letter asking congressional leadership to include Medicare negotiation in the budget bill.
In the House of Representatives, H.R. 3, which would allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of all Americans, was reintroduced in April. If passed, H.R. 3 would save nearly half a trillion dollars for taxpayers by restoring balance to our drug pricing system and curbing pharma’s unilateral pricing power.
###
Climbing made its debut at the Olympics this week, but we’ve been watching drug prices ascend to new heights for years.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. Seniors Vote Yes On Medicare Negotiation
Across the country, seniors of all political affiliations agree: Medicare must be allowed to negotiate lower drug prices. A new poll from the Alliance for Retired Americans indicates that drug pricing reform is a winning issue, as seniors are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports Medicare negotiation. Right now, elected officials have the choice to side with patients or protect pharma’s unfettered pricing power. Voters are taking note. — (Alliance for Retired Americans)
2. Sounding Off: Letters For Lower Drug Prices
This week, lawmakers and Americans from all over the country wrote letters highlighting the need for drug pricing reform. Twelve senators signed a letter to Senate leadership asking to include Medicare negotiation in the reconciliation bill. In an op-ed, Delaware state Senator Jack Walsh urged Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper to help pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. And in letters to their local publications, constituents in Colorado, Rhode Island, and Florida discussed how lowering prices would help improve the lives of vulnerable communities, including seniors and people of color. It’s clear: Lowering drug prices is a top priority for Americans. — (Endpoints News, Delaware Business Times, Sentinel Colorado, Westerly Sun, The Ledger)
3.AbbVie’s Patent Abuses
While patients in other countries are benefiting from biosimilar competition to AbbVie’s top-selling drug Humira, Americans are forced to pay increasing prices that are five times what Europeans pay as AbbVie blocks competition with deals to delay biosimilars from entering the U.S. market until 2023. Just this year, AbbVie raised the price of Humira by 7.4 percent, continuing its trend of annual price hikes. Our broken patent system is breaking the bank for patients and taxpayers. We must reform it to incentivize innovation, not decades-long monopoly pricing. — (Axios)
If price hikes were an Olympic event, pharma would take gold, silver, and bronze.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. Putting The Brakes On Patent Abuse
In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee passeda package of four bills that would lower drug prices by addressing anticompetitive behavior from drug companies. The bills would curb patent abuses by designating product hopping, pay-for-delay deals, and sham citizen petitions as anticompetitive. We applaud the committee for protecting true innovation at prices patients can afford by advancing these bills, urge the Senate to pass the package, and call on Congress to continue the important work of lowering drug prices for Americans by allowing Medicare negotiation. — (P4ADNow)
2. 100 Years Later, A $100 Biosimilar
In the same week that the world marked 100 years of insulin, the FDA approved Semglee, the first interchangeable biosimilar to the long-acting insulin Lantus. It’s a step in the right direction, but Semglee’s $98 price tag still represents a 2,000 percent markup from a manufacturing cost of $4.50. We must ensure that all patients who depend on insulin have access to affordable medications by building a system that delivers reasonable profits and incentivizes competition for all forms of insulin. — (Axios)
3. Rep. Peters’ Flip Flop: Unforgivable
Back in 2019, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) supported H.R. 3, a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. But two years later, the congressman is now an outspoken opponent of the landmark legislation. Rep. Peters has filled his pockets with Big Pharma money and is actively opposing reform that would deliver much-needed relief to millions of patients across the country. Simply put, that’s unforgivable. — (Salon)
One more thing: This week, members of Congress highlighted pharma’s July price hikes and the need for Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Check it out here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, in response to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s bipartisan, unanimous passage of a package of four bills that would lower drug prices and promote innovation by curbing anticompetitive behavior by pharmaceutical corporations:
“We applaud Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Grassley, and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing legislation to crack down on anticompetitive drug industry practices and strengthen incentives for true biomedical innovation. This package of bills takes important steps to address abuses of our patent system that inhibit innovation, block competition, and allow drug corporations to raise prices without restraint.
“Today’s unanimous vote also lends important momentum to the larger work in Congress to fix our broken drug pricing system. We will continue to work with Congress this year to enact other needed reforms, including allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for all Americans.”
Background:
The Senate Judiciary Committee markup took place this morning. Watch the video recording here. The package of bills will next move to the full Senate for a vote.
The legislative package includes the following bills:
S. 1435, Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2021, would amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to define product hopping as anticompetitive and facilitate biosimilar market entry by disincentivizing patent thicketing behavior by biologic drug makers.
S. 1425, Stop STALLING Act, would eliminate drug company abuse of the Food and Drug Administration’s citizen petition program by deeming submission of sham petitions as anticompetitive under the FTC Act and giving the FTC authority to penalize companies engaged in this behavior.
S. 1428, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act, would crack down on collusive pay-for-delay settlements by making them presumptively anticompetitive, a reform that would stop brand-name companies from artificially lengthening monopoly periods in an effort to keep more affordable alternatives away from consumers.
S. 1388, Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2021, would require the FTC to examine the effects of consolidation on pricing and other potentially abusive behavior within the pharmacy benefit manager industry.
###
My name is Vanessa Ladson and I’m from Dover, DE. I need to take 12 medications a day to manage multiple conditions, including fibromyalgia and lupus, which is an autoimmune disease where my body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue. To manage these conditions, I need the drugs Plaquenil and gabapentin. I also take an incredibly pricey medication called Eliquis, which prevents blood clots. These three key medications cost me up to $500 out-of-pocket each month. These prices create an incredible financial strain as my income from Social Security and a small retirement fund is only $2,100 a month.
My husband also lives with prostate cancer and is prescribed the drug Xtandi. He gets some assistance, but it’s horrible to think of what would happen if it were to go away.
Both of us are on Medicare. At times, it feels like I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul to afford my medications. I’ve had to ask my grown children for help in order to afford my prescriptions at times, which I hate having to do.
I have to scrimp and save to afford to eat. But I know other senior citizens who are much worse off — some are even eating cat food to be able to afford their drugs. But it’s a catch-22: If they don’t eat, they’ll die, and if they don’t have their medications, they die. My husband and I try to help by making them food when we can.
I’ve been depressed living with these physical conditions and dealing with all these high prices at the same time. Simply put, I don’t live the kind of life I want to live. With multiple conditions, I already live with uncertainty as to the type of pain I might face day to day. I should be able to afford medicines without so much worry on top of my illnesses and symptoms.
Other countries help out their seniors. As the richest country in the world, the United States should be able to take care of us. We need to let Medicare negotiate for the prices of our medications like other wealthy nations do.
