Patients For Affordable Drugs Now Applauds Reintroduction Of H.R. 3 To Lower Rx Prices For Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued today by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, in response to the reintroduction of H.R. 3 The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act:
“H.R. 3 is the comprehensive package of reforms patients need to lower prices of prescription drugs while ensuring continued innovation and new drug development. Too many Americans are struggling to pay almost four times what patients in other wealthy nations pay for the same drugs — forced to choose between spending on bills or food and buying the medications they need. H.R. 3 will provide relief to Americans by allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices and by preventing price gouging.
“On behalf of patients, who overwhelmingly support Medicare negotiation, we are grateful to the leadership and members of the House of Representatives for this critical legislation. This is the reform President Biden and Democrats have promised. This is the time to get it done.”
Background:
The bill would:
Allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices and extend lower prices to all Americans with public or private sector insurance.
Limit the negotiated price of drugs in Medicare to no more than 120 percent of the average of six other OECD nations.
Limit annual out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries to no more than $2,000. Currently, seniors can pay more than $15,000 a year for a single prescription drug.
End drug company price gouging by penalizing drug companies that increase prices in Medicare Parts B and D faster than the rate of inflation.
Support innovation and new drug development by investing some of the expected savings into the world-class research being conducted at the National Institutes of Health.
Patients are suffering — skipping doses of their medications and choosing between buying groceries or picking up their medications.
Americans pay almost four times the prices in other countries for prescription drugs.
Nearly 40 percent of people reported difficulty affording their medications in the last year.
Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by high drug prices. Due to economic, political, and social conditions, people of color are almost twice as likely to be uninsured and have lower incomes, making drugs even more unaffordable.
With Medicare negotiation, patients will pay less for their prescriptions and lives will be saved.
If Medicare were empowered to directly negotiate prices with drug companies, there could be 94,000 fewer deaths annually.
Americans overwhelmingly support Medicare negotiation. Nearly 90 percent of voterssupport Medicare negotiation, including 92 percent of Democrats and 85 percent of Republicans.
More than 60 percent of small business ownersbelieve that Medicare should be able to negotiate for lower prices on behalf of Americans.
The vast majority of voters agree that addressing high drug prices should be a top priority for President Biden and Congress.
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SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The following statement was issued by Sheila McLean, a patient and the executive director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, after the Minnesota House of Representatives passed House Commerce Bill 1031, which includes a prescription drug affordability board:
“We applaud the Minnesota House for advancing a bill that includes the establishment of a prescription drug affordability board. The affordability board would rein in drug prices and offer relief to Minnesotans struggling under the high price of prescription drugs by establishing upper payment limits for expensive medications. On behalf of patients across Minnesota, we urge both the House and the Senate to include the board in the final commerce bill this spring.”
Background:
The prescription drug affordability board and advisory council in Section 2 of HF 1031 would:
Establish a prescription drug affordability board and an advisory council. These entities would work together to analyze drug pricing data and determine which drugs are excessively priced and cause affordability challenges.
If a drug is found to create an affordability challenge, the board may establish an upper payment limit to all drug purchasers and payers in Minnesota.
Minnesota patient advocate Travis Paulson, who lives with type 1 diabetes, testified in support of the original bill (HF 801) in March. His insulin, which he needs to survive, currently costs $300 a vial, or $1,500 per month. Paulson has had to work odd jobs, living paycheck to paycheck in order to stay alive.
Both Paulson and Ramae Hamrin, who lives with the incurable blood cancer multiple myeloma, spoke at a press conference in support of HF 801 in February. Revlimid, the oral chemotherapy drug that keeps Hamrin alive, is priced at over $250,000 a year. Even on Medicare, she faces out-of-pocket costs of $15,000 a year.
A 2020 survey released by Altarum Healthcare Value Hub revealed nearly half of Minnesotans worry about being able to pay for prescription drugs. The survey found nearly 90 percent of respondents support the establishment of a prescription drug affordability board.
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Welcome to the Week in Review.
A Step In The Right Direction
The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill, S. 415, that would help generic drugs come to market and promote competition in the pharmaceutical industry. The Senate passed the bill in March, and it now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature. While it’s a small win for patients, it is a clear indicator that Congress is taking drug pricing seriously — now it’s time for them to go further to reform the broken drug pricing system. — (Bloomberg Government)
2.Win-Win
Washington is buzzing with activity around drug pricing legislation that could potentially be included in President Biden’s upcoming American Families Plan. Legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies would both save hundreds of billions of dollars for taxpayers and bring relief to patients by restoring balance to our drug pricing system and curbing pharma’s unilateral pricing power. It’s a win-win. — (Axios, Bloomberg Government, The Washington Post)
3.Maine Tackles Medication Prices
This week, patient advocates Lori Dumont, Miriam Wolfe, and Sabrina Burbeck provided testimony to the Maine state legislature in support of a package of bills that would take on drug companies and lower prices. “It has been almost 100 years since insulin was discovered, and there is still no affordable option for people like my brother,” Lori said. “I don’t know how I’m going to pay these bills, but I have no other choice. While I figure things out, I am going without these medications,” Miriam shared. — (Maine Beacon)
4. Oregon For The People
In an op-ed, state Rep. Rachel Prusak and state Sen. Deb Patterson call on the Oregon legislature to pass a bill that would establish a prescription drug affordability board with the ability to set payment limits on excessively priced drugs. Their piece uplifts the story of Oregonian Mike Nielsen and his wife, Jacki, who have suffered from high drug prices for far too long. “It’s time to support our most vulnerable Oregonians, break free of pharmaceutical fear mongering, and fix the system for people,” they write.— (The Oregonian)
5. The High Price Of Cancer
Skyrocketing prices for cancer drugs are forcing patients to choose between filling prescriptions and paying for daily necessities, according to the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing. Prices for 54 cancer drugs increased by 40 percent between 2010 and 2018, resulting in an average price of more than $160,000 per year. Drug companies are literally putting a price on our lives. Patients deserve better. — (Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing)
My name is Lori Dumont and I am from Brewer, Maine. Unfortunately, I know all too well what it is like to struggle to afford medication since I have seen my brother struggle with his prescription costs.
It all started when my then 56-year-old brother did not show up to work. This worried his co-workers, who called his neighbors to check on him. The neighbors, not getting a response, then called the paramedics. My brother was found dead. Paramedics worked diligently to revive him and he was rushed to the hospital and put on life support. His core temp was 88 degrees at the time he was found. He was immediately airlifted to another hospital where he remained on life support, not expected to live. The following evening, by the grace of God, he woke up and there was no brain damage. He spent the next month in the hospital being treated for the damages caused to his body from the ordeal, including kidney failure. Despite all that happened, I still feel lucky that I did not lose my brother that day.
All of this could have been avoided. My brother suffered ketoacidosis because he could not afford his insulin. Like so many others, his insulin costs were out of control. For both his long term and short term insulin he was paying about $1,500 a month. On a fixed income, high drug prices are literally a matter of life and death. My brother had not told anyone he was struggling to afford his insulin and was trying to control his diabetes through diet alone, which is a dangerous and deadly practice.
I am the only one he could depend on to be his advocate and support system. I have my own set of health issues that I deal with, but the role of a caregiver was almost a full-time job and my brother’s needs always came first. I was with him eight hours a day at the hospital and applied to every assistance program I possibly could on his behalf so he would have all he needed to be alright when he was discharged. He could no longer work and his kidneys were no longer functioning so he was going to need SSDI, food stamps, Mainecare, and help to get his rent paid so he wouldn’t lose his apartment. Most importantly, I had to make sure he had insulin waiting for him when he was discharged. A program at his local hospital gives insulin to people in dire need, and thank God he got enough to last until he was approved for Mainecare.
If insulin were more affordable, both of our lives would have been stress-free, both for him as a patient and me as a caretaker. It is a huge burden not knowing if you will be able to afford your medication each month. It’s scary to think that insulin might not be there when you get out of the hospital, which you were in because of not being to afford insulin in the first place. No one should have to experience those feelings.
My brother’s story is not rare. Fortunately, he survived. However, there are many who do not. The root of the problem is the high drug prices. The drug companies are literally letting people die because they cannot afford medication. It’s not right. Patients must have access to the drugs they need to survive. As a caretaker and a sister, I am seeing the impact firsthand. Something must be done –– and soon.
AUGUSTA — Patient advocates Lori Dumont, Miriam Wolfe, and Sabrina Burbeck will testify today in front of the Maine state legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee in favor of a package of bills aimed at taking on drug companies and lowering prescription drug prices for Mainers. The bill package, Making Health Care Work for Maine, was introduced last month by Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, along with Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli, Senator Cathy Breen, and Senator Ned Claxton.
Lori Dumont, from Brewer, will share that when her brother, a taxi driver, couldn’t afford his $750-per-month insulin, he was found unresponsive in his home and barely survived after a month in the intensive care unit.
“All of this trauma and financial distress could have been avoided if insulin were affordable,” Dumont will say to the committee. “It has been almost 100 years since insulin was discovered, and there is still no affordable option for people like my brother.”
Miriam Wolfe of York was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and was told by her doctor that she will need Remicade infusions, which are priced at about $3,500 per month.
“I only receive $840 per month from Social Security… I don’t know how I’m going to pay these bills,” Wolfe will explain. “The entire package of bills, including LD 675, 1171, 673, and 120, is pivotal to curb drug prices and hold Big Pharma accountable so that patients like me can afford the drugs we desperately need.”
The Making Health Care Work for Maine package includes the following legislation:
LD 675, led by Senator Claxton, would clamp down on unsupported price increases by fining pharmaceutical manufacturers that increase drug prices without justification.
LD 1117, led by Senate President Jackson, would prohibit price gouging on generic and off-patent drugs and give the state attorney general authority to bring penalties against drug companies that refuse to lower prices.
LD 673, led by Senator Breen, would create an insulin safety net program to provide emergency access to affordable insulin for Mainers needing immediate relief.
LD 686, led by Senate Majority Leader Vitelli, would strengthen prescription drug pricing transparency by requiring the Maine Health Data Organization to share information collected from drug companies with the public.
LD 120, led by Senate President Jackson, would establish the Office of Affordable Health Care to help examine the factors contributing to rising prices.
Sabrina Burbeck’s 8-year-old son, Dakota, lives with type 1 diabetes and relies on insulin to survive. Humalog, the type of insulin that Dakota is prescribed, is priced at $350 for a month’s supply.
“No mother should have to worry if the life of her bright, loving, and curious child will be cut short because the price of their medication spikes overnight or they simply can’t afford it one month,” Burbeck, from Old Town, will share. “There are so many families like mine. Mainers all over the state are crippled by the cost of their prescription drugs.”
Burbeck also spoke at last month’s press conference, where President Jackson, D-Aroostook, Senate Majority Leader Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc, Senator Breen, D-Cumberland, and Senator Claxton, D-Androscoggin, unveiled the health care package.
The hearing and Dumont, Wolfe, and Burbeck’s testimonies can be watched here at 10:00 AM ET.
Following the hearing, the bill package will be subject to a working session in the coming weeks.
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To high drug prices we say, bye bye baby. Welcome to the Week in Review.
Big Pharma’s Big Lie
This week, Patients For Affordable Drugs released a new video dismantling Big Pharma’s myth that lowering drug prices by any amount will kill innovation and new drug development. The video features P4AD founder David Mitchell, who explains that taxpayers are the true drivers of innovation. “We can have fair prices and profits and get the innovation we need,” he says. “Don’t fall for Big Pharma’s big lie.”— (P4AD)
2.“We Need Reforms Now”
Patient advocates Karolina Chorvath, who lives with Crohn’s disease, and Jay Gironimi, who lives with cystic fibrosis, shared their stories about drug prices at a press conference this week with the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The event announced the governors’ proposed legislation that would cap annual drug price hikes and fine drug companies for excessive price increases. “Like so many others, I live at the mercy of drug corporations,” Karolina said. “I shouldn’t be forced to decide between financial ruin and detrimental health outcomes,” Jay added. — (Stamford Advocate)
3. Consequences Of Corporate Consolidation
In a new op-ed, law professor Robin Feldman breaks down how drug corporation mergers are eliminating competition, reducing innovation, and driving up drug prices. Pharma claims that drug prices must be kept high to incentivize innovation, yet the industry is in the midst of a waveofmergers that will likely reduce patient choice as prices continue to climb. It’s just another example of Big Pharma’s big time greed. — (The Washington Post)
4. Voters Demand Change
While pharma is enjoying a reputation boost during the pandemic, polling shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans still believe that high drug prices must be reined in and that Medicare should be allowed to negotiate for lower prices. Tackling high drug prices is a top priority for voters on both sides of the aisle. Lawmakers must stand up for their constituents and pass legislation to curb pharma’s predatory pricing practices. — (Vox)
5. CEOs Cash In
Robert Bradway, CEO of the pharma company Amgen, collected a $20 million compensation package in 2020 as the company’s sales surged. It’s a story we’ve heard over and over again during the past year: As the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the economy and taken hundreds of thousands of lives, drug company CEOs continue to raise prices and profit off the backs of Americans. — (FiercePharma)
I’m Janet Bacon and I’m from Happy Valley, Oregon. I have been a retiree for the last 20 years and a Medicare beneficiary for the last 12 years. In order to stay my healthiest, I require the inhalers Spiriva Respimat and ProAir, alongside other medications. For Spiriva alone, I spent $3,300 last year. I tried to switch to a less expensive inhaler, but it doesn’t work as well for me, so I have to go back to using Spiriva. The pharmaceutical industry shouldn’t charge so much for a medication to help me breathe. I spent about $6,400 last year out-of-pocket for all of my medications. This is unreasonable.
My partner and I expected to be able to enjoy our retirement, but instead, we’re constantly having to cut back on expenses to be able to afford the rising prices of my medications. I have a bad back, and I used to be able to afford to hire someone to help clean my home. Now, with the rising drug costs, we can’t afford that. To walk comfortably, I need orthopedic inserts but can’t get them because they cost $200. To keep living, I need to keep breathing –– so my inhaler costs always come first. There isn’t an end in sight to pharmaceutical price gouging. If drug prices continue rising at this rate, my husband and I will be forced to sell our home and property.
The drug industry likes to talk about its “assistance programs,” but I can tell you that even with our meager income, we make too much to qualify for them. People like me don’t need paperwork and hoops to jump through –– we need lower drug prices.
It’s not fair that the pharmaceutical industry is profiting off of retirees on fixed incomes like us. Our legislators have to limit the ability of drug companies to keep raising prices. Congress needs to allow for Medicare negotiation.
If we can get a ship out of the Suez Canal, we can lower drug prices. Welcome to the Week in Review.
Presidential Promises
During a Politico interview, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said the administration’s upcoming American Family Plan will involve measures to lower health care costs, “particularly around prescription drugs.” It’s an encouraging sign that President Biden, who campaigned on the commitment of bringing down drug prices, intends to make good on his promise.— (Politico; watch at 22:18)
2.Congressional Movement On Drug Pricing
Members of Congress are in discussions to include Medicare negotiation for lower drug prices in a legislative package later this year. This is an exciting moment for patients burdened with high prices and proves that this year we have a real chance to reform our broken drug pricing system. Lawmakers must work together and deliver urgently needed change for patients across the country. — (The Hill)
3. We’re Fired Up
This week, Connecticut advocate Jay Gironimi and Oregon advocate Michael Nielsen made compelling cases for passing drug pricing legislation in their respective states. “There is plenty of room for both innovation and affordability. Other industries have to balance the two, but drug companies have patents on products we literally can’t live without. Our misfortunes build their fortunes,” Gironimi writes. “We cannot let them continue to exploit the lack of regulation on their industry — padding their profits and forcing those who need prescriptions to accept unaffordable price increases or suffer without those drugs,” Nielsen explains.— (The Connecticut Mirror, The Bend Bulletin)
4. Our Voices Will Prevail
Big Pharma knows that lawmakers are serious about passing legislation to lower drug prices, and the industry is intensifying its lobbying efforts to oppose important policy proposals like Medicare negotiation. Patients can’t compete with drug companies’ lobbying war chests, but pharma can’t match our powerful stories championing our right to affordable prescription drugs.— (Center for Responsive Politics)
5. “A Responsibility To Take Action”
In an op-ed, Colorado state legislators Sonya Jaquez Lewis and Julie Gonzales lay out their plan to reduce drug prices for Coloradans by establishing a prescription drug affordability board. The board would have the power to create upper payment limits for high-priced drugs. “Prescription drugs don’t work if we can’t afford to buy them, and it’s time to level the playing field for families.” — (Colorado Politics)
