Watered-Down Versions of the Provision Being Floated by Pro-Pharma Members of Congress Would Not Provide Americans the Relief They Need
Washington, DC — According to press reports, including from Politico, pro-Pharma members of Congress are demanding that Democrats water down Medicare drug negotiations in the Build Back Better Act or drop the provision entirely. Polling shows that the health care provisions are the most popular components of the Build Back Better Act. Americans from across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Pharma’s friends in Congress are trying to eviscerate Medicare negotiations to the point of being nearly meaningless. Let’s be clear, the alternatives being floated — prohibiting negotiations for drugs that are still on patent and have no competition, and removing penalties for drug companies that refuse to negotiate at all — will mean negotiations are no longer meaningful and create more reasons for drug companies to further abuse the patent system. If Pharma’s allies are successful, Americans will still pay three times more for the same drugs than people do in other countries, and millions will still have to choose between the drugs they need to stay alive and paying for food or a roof over their heads. Congress must finally stand up to drug companies and stop giving them the power to dictate prices for the drugs Americans need.”