On the AARP front, survey results are being released in conjunction with the launch of AARP’s national campaign to convince federal and state lawmakers to curb out-of-sight prescription drug prices. The “Stop Rx Greed” campaign will promote AARP’s four solutions to runaway drug costs. Stop price gouging by allowing Medicare and states to use their vast buying powers to negotiate for lower drug prices and allowing state attorneys general to take legal action against drug manufacturers for excessive drug price hikes.
- Stop price gouging by allowing Medicare and states to use their vast buying powers to negotiate for lower drug prices and allowing state attorneys general to take legal action against drug manufacturers for excessive drug price hikes.
- Increase access and affordability of prescription drugs by capping out-of-pocket costs for consumers, expanding the availability of state pharmaceutical assistance programs, allowing states to safely import prescription drugs from other countries and protecting a recent Medicare improvement that helps beneficiaries with high prescription-drug costs.
- Close loopholes that allow drug manufacturers to delay or even block the development of lower-cost generics, and ban deals that allow pharmaceutical companies to pay generic firms not to bring a competing product to market.
- Support laws that promote transparency by requiring drug makers to justify dramatic price increases.
“Americans are paying the highest prescription drug prices in the world,” says Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer. “It’s time for pharmaceutical companies to stop deflecting blame and acknowledge that the root cause is the price they set for their products.”
AARP is encouraging us to focus on this campaign and get updates on this and other federal campaigns by going to action.aarp.org to sign up for the alerts.