Political Quotes

“My amendment requires the Department of Health and Human Services to submit to Congress a report on the extent to which increases on prescription drug prices may have caused Medicare beneficiaries to forego recommended treatment, including failing to fill their prescriptions. Drug prices have increased significantly over the past year. The Center for American Progress reported that nearly 30 drug companies announced last year that price increases will take effect in January. Pfizer alone announced that it would raise the prices of 41 different drugs. Critical medications, including insulin and opioid addiction treatments, have already seen dramatic price increases this year. These price increases are taking a toll on patients. The Kaiser Family Foundation reported that among those currently taking prescription drugs, 24 percent of adults and 23 percent of seniors say it is difficult to afford their prescription drugs. This includes about one in ten respondents who say it is very difficult. The Kaiser Family Foundation also found that certain groups are much more likely to report difficulty affording medication, including those who are spending $100 or more a month on their prescriptions, that is 58 percent; those who report being in fair or poor health, about 49 percent; those who take four or more prescription drugs, 35 percent; and those with incomes less than $40,000 per year, representing 35 percent.…”