Congressman Joe Morelle says skyrocketing prescription drug costs are forcing many people to choose whether they'll continue to take their medications.
So, the Democrat for the 25th district is co-sponsoring a bill "The Lower Drug Costs Now Act," which he says will help ensure life-saving medications are accessible and affordable for everyone, especially seniors.
Morelle announced his support for the bill at Lifespan, which offers services for older adults and caregivers.
Among other things, the bill would end the ban on Medicare negotiating directly with drug companies, and it would establish a maximum price for any negotiated drug with an international price index.
``Because it says, we're going to look at the price that they all pay and we're going to take an index of that, and that's what's going to be the basis for our negotiation," he says.
Betty Donahue is a senior in Rochester who says she simply had to stop taking some of her medications because the monthly costs were getting so high.
``A shot called Humalog that you have to take every time you eat, so it's three times a day cost $250 dollars a month," she says.
The bill also creates a $2-thousand dollar out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and reinvests the savings from lower inflated drug prices toward research at the National Institute of Health.
Lifespan President and CEO Ann Marie Cook says it makes no sense that this country pays more for prescription drugs than any other country in the world.
``If this can get passed, it not only helps people with disabilities, older adults on Medicare, but also begins to rein in prescription drug costs for all of us," she said.
Morelle says he's optimistic the House will pass the legislation and the Senate will follow suit.
Morelle outlines a bill designed to address and reverse the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs: