Health Reform Can Mean Lower Drug Prices

Sometimes it seems that we have about as much effect on what we pay for prescription drugs as we do about the weather:  we can complain but we can’t really do anything about it.  Actually, we can all do something about it—prescription drugs that is, not the weather—and AARP is working in a number of ways to lower prescription drug costs through health reform.

First, AARP is fighting to close the “doughnut hole” the place where Medicare Part D beneficiaries are responsible for all of their drug costs even while they are still paying their Part D premium. Millions of people have fallen into this hole—and are paying a heavy price for it. About one in five Part D beneficiaries delayed filling a prescription or did not fill it at all because of costs.  AARP believes we must lower out-of-pocket costs for people in Medicare with high drug costs and give them the coverage they’ve been paying for.

AARP also believes we must end the drug companies’ monopoly on drugs, especially generic biologics used to treat serious diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis that can cost up to $10,000 per month. That’s why AARP supports the “Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act,” which would make it easier to approve safe and affordable generic biologic drugs, and save lives and save billions of taxpayer dollars in the process.

There are other important steps we can take.  Congress should allow the safe and legal importation of prescription drugs.  It should also enable Medicare to directly negotiate prices with drug manufacturers.

All of these common sense solutions ought to be part of health reform this year.  To find out what you can do to back these changes and rein in drug costs, go to healthactionnow.org.  Make your voice heard so we can all make a difference in the cost of prescription drugs.   

For more information on AARP’s health care reform priorities, visit www.healthactionnow.org.