AARP NY to Deliver 3,200+ Letters to Governor Urging Her to Sign Bill Aimed at Fighting Skyrocketing Rx Prices
AARP NY, 41 Other Organizations Also Sent Separate Letter to Governor Urging Approval of Rx Price Transparency Bill
WHAT: AARP New York will deliver over 3,200 letters from its members to Governor Kathy Hochul’s office urging her to sign into law a bill that would fight skyrocketing prescription drug prices by requiring drug makers to disclose and justify significant price increases.
Additionally, 42 organizations including advocates for the aging, communities of color, consumers, healthcare, labor and more have sent a separate letter to the Governor urging approval of the bill.
WHEN: 11 a.m., Thursday, November 9, 2023
WHERE: Governor’s Office, 2nd Floor “War Room,” New York State Capitol, Albany, N.Y.
WHO: Joe Stelling, AARP New York Associate State Director
Additional red-shirted AARP staff and volunteers
WHY: List prices for the most popular Medicare Part D drugs have more than tripled since entering the market in recent years. Cost is the primary reason for American voters 50 and older deciding not to fill a prescription.
Prescription drug price transparency laws in other states have led to fewer and lower price hikes; neighboring Vermont reported an almost 80% decline in the number of prescription drug price increases of 15% or more for its taxpayer-funded Medicaid program between 2016 and 2020 after enacting transparency laws.
The pharmaceutical industry has opposed Rx price transparency legislation across the country and is now opposing the New York bill (S599A/A1707A – sponsored by Senator Julia Salazar and former Assembly Member Dan Rosenthal).
Governor Hochul proposed even farther-reaching prescription drug transparency provisions as part of her executive budget this year.
Contact: Erik Kriss, 212-407-3796, [email protected]
