WASHINGTON, DC — On the anniversary of Medicare, Lower Drug Prices Now is joining Members of Congress, seniors, veterans, labor leaders, tribal leaders, faith leaders, patients and local organizers to hold 18 events across the country calling on the Senate to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices in the budget reconciliation bill currently being negotiated.
The events in 16 states will be joined by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Cynthia Axne (D-IA), and AFSCME President Lee Saunders.
“We’re calling on Democrats to follow through on their promises to hold the drug corporations accountable in the reconciliation package by enabling Medicare to directly negotiate lower prices, capping out of pocket costs for beneficiaries, and stopping Pharma from increasing prices faster than the rate of inflation,” said Margarida Jorge, Campaign Director for Lower Drug Prices Now. “These reforms would make medicines more affordable for patients, employers and Medicare, while saving taxpayers more than $450 billion. Preventing cost-shifting by delaying or repealing the Medicare rebate is not a substitute for real reforms that rein in drug corporations’ monopoly power to raise prices anytime they want. Reconciliation is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take significant action on drug pricing reform. Americans are counting on Congress and President Biden to deliver.”
The events are being hosted by Lower Drug Prices Now, as well as Action North Carolina, AFSCME, American Medical Students Association, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, Battle Born Progress, Big Sky 55+, Black Women’s Roundtable, Citizen Action of New York, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, Granite State Progress, Health Care For America Now, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, Iowa Citizens Action Network, Metro New York Health Care for All, North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans, Oregon Alliance for Retired Americans, Rogue Valley Oregon Action, and UNIDOS Action, Unite Oregon, Virginia Organizing, West Virginia Citizen Action Group and Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans.
