At Reno Senior Center, Rosen Announces Plans to Co-Sponsor Bill Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Nevada Seniors Alongside AARP Nevada, Washoe Senior Coalition
RENO, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), announced at the Reno Senior Center alongside AARP Nevada and the Washoe Senior Coalition that she is signing on to legislation that authorizes Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs for seniors. The Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act, introduced by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), would allow Medicare to negotiate the best price of prescription drugs for seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D by harnessing the bargaining power of the program for bigger discounts. Current federal law expressly bans Medicare from negotiating directly with the pharmaceutical industry for lower prices.
“In Reno and all across our state, Nevadans are dealing with rising prices and being forced to make difficult decisions because of the outrageous and skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m signing on to legislation to empower Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs because this is a clear solution that will help Nevada seniors afford critical and often life-saving medications. This would be a game-changer helping to bring down costs at the pharmacy for so many Nevada seniors, particularly for those on fixed incomes struggling to make ends meet.”
“It’s wrong that seniors have to choose between medicine and food,” said AARP Nevada State Director Maria Moore. “This is a false choice and it can be fixed by allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. It’s outrageous to think if consumer prices had risen as fast as drug prices over the past 15 years, a gallon of milk would cost $13.”
“As a president of the Senior Coalition, I meet and hear back from seniors. They tell me they are upset with the rising costs of their medications to stay healthy, especially life sustaining drugs to live longer,” said Connie McMullen, President of the Senior Coalition of Washoe County. “People should not have to choose between keeping their home or extending their life. We have to do something, like allowing Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug prices, to fix this critical issue.”
Senator Rosen has also introduced legislation to help reduce the cost of prescription drugs and medical devices through the support of nonprofit prescription drug and medical device manufacturers. In addition, Senator Rosen is co-sponsoring the Affordable Insulin Now Act, legislation that would cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for Nevadans and Americans across the country at $35 per month.
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