On the recordDecember 12, 2019
For the last 2 years, the single most common issue that Michiganders raise with me is the price of prescription drugs. Michiganders, regardless of party, are demanding that Congress do something about it. People literally clutch my arm at the grocery store to tell me how their son is rationing his insulin or their daughter couldn't go to summer camp because she couldn't afford the inhalers. That is why shortly after being sworn in in January, I started working in earnest on the issue. I am very proud to stand behind my colleagues and support H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This important legislation will drive down the cost of the country's most expensive drugs by allowing our government to negotiate for the very best prices. To be clear, the VA does the exact same thing. I am on military insurance, and the VA can negotiate for drug prices. Why not allow Medicare to do the very same thing? To put this in perspective, there are over 800,000 Michiganders living with diabetes, and common insulin medications can cost somewhere between $1,200 and $20,000 a year. This includes Sarah, a woman who lives in Holly, Michigan, where I live, who literally says she is being priced out of her life. Her insulin costs are higher than her rent per month. This bill, if passed, would allow the government to negotiate, bringing the price down to as little as $400 a year. Once the price is negotiated, all Americans, including Medicare recipients, benefit from that price.…
Source
govinfo.gov




