Congresswoman Scanlon Cosponsors Medicare Drug Price Negotiation BillBill would Lower Drug Costs & Put People Over Big Pharma Profits
Washington, DC,
March 1, 2019
Tags:
Congress
Today, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon cosponsored the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act, patient-first legislation that would address the prescription drug affordability crisis. This bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate drug prices and, if drug companies refuse to negotiate in good faith, it would enable the Secretary to issue a competitive license to another company to produce the medication as a generic. “The health and wellbeing of Americans should not be held hostage by prescription drug prices,” Congresswoman Scanlon said. “This bill will require the government to negotiate fair, affordable prescription drug prices, especially for our most vulnerable communities.” In 2018, Americans spent an all-time high of $360 billion on prescription drugs. According to a 2016 Consumer Reports survey, 30 percent of Americans who experienced an increase in the price of one or more of their medications left a prescription unfilled because it was too expensive; 15 percent said they cut pills in half to make them last longer. Congresswoman Scanlon was sworn into the 116th Congress on January 3, 2019. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and is a member of the House Rules Committee. ### |
