WASHINGTON (June 18, 2021) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) joined over 103 labor unions and health care groups to demand the U.S. Congress include popular drug price reform in the so-called “Build Back Better” legislation to fund infrastructure spending. AHF signed on to the June 16th coalition letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and addressing Congressional and Committee Leadership urging they include bold drug pricing reform and Medicare improvement and expansion in the American Families Plan.
If the Congress enacts provisions that require the U.S. government to negotiate the prices of drugs it pays through Medicare, it would create $450 billion in savings over ten years–money that would pay to implement popular Medicare benefit expansions.
“It makes no sense that the U.S. can’t legally negotiate directly with drug companies on the prices it will pay for the enormous supply of drugs covered by Medicare. It’s a corrupt sweetheart deal drug company lobbyists slipped into the law in the dark of night in 2003 ago when Congress expanded drug coverage for seniors,” said John Hassell, AHF’s national director of advocacy.
Hundreds of elected officials have campaigned on requiring the government to negotiate drug prices and provide protections for patients in need of affordable medicines. It’s now time for them to deliver on that promise in this legislation. It’s a proposal wildly popular across all ages, political parties and regions according to a poll by the advocacy group, Social Security Works. (See poll).
The question is whether Congress will listen to drug company lobbyists or the people they took an oath to represent,” said Hassell.
AHF encourages outreach to members of Congress using this tool on the “Take Action” tab on its website: (‘Take Action’ link)
