Brown Has Long Fought to Lower Health Care Costs for Ohioans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 4, 2023 – U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Lower Drug Costs for Families Act, legislation to hold Big Pharma accountable and reduce the national deficit by more than $34 billion over a decade. The legislation would punish drug companies for raising prescription drug prices faster than the rate of inflation.
“We know drugs are some of the most overpriced goods many Ohio families are forced to pay for each month. After years of fighting opposition from Big Pharma, and the politicians who always do their lobbyists’ bidding, we are finally made progress with the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Brown. “This legislation builds on those wins to hold drug companies accountable for their price gouging and lower prices at the pharmacy counter.”
The legislation builds on the Inflation Reduction Act’s work to lower health costs for seniors with Medicare by ensuring that all Ohioans are protected from exorbitant increases in prescription drug prices—including private health insurance and employer-sponsored health plans like Union health funds.
The Lower Drug Costs for Families Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (I-VT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). This legislation has been endorsed by Patients for Affordable Drugs Now, AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), UNITE HERE, United Mine Workers of America, Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the American Federation of Teachers.
Brown has long been a leader in standing up to Big Pharma and working to lower prescription drug prices for Ohioans. Brown recently pressed for reform of Pharmacy Benefit Managers’ practices that lead to high drug prices for patients and high fees for Ohio pharmacies during a Senate Finance Committee Hearing.
Last year, Brown secured a critical provision in the Inflation Reduction Act, that for the first time, will allow the Secretary of HHS to negotiate directly to lower the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries to ensure older Americans get the best possible deal on high-cost medications. The legislation also includes a monthly $35 cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs for all Ohioans on Medicare who rely on insulin to stay healthy.
The full text of the bill can be found HERE and a one-pager is available HERE.