November 2021

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 16 AT 1:10 PM MST // 3:10 PM EST ***

Phoenix, AZ — Today, Tuesday, November 16 at 1:10 PM MST // 3:10 PM EST, U.S. Representative Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01), Dora Vasquez, Executive Director of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, and local advocates will join Protect Our Care Arizona, calling on Congress to immediately pass the Build Back Better Act. The coalition will also discuss significant health care provisions in the Build Back Better Act —including giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, addressing the Medicaid coverage gap, and much more — to lower costs and improve access to health care.

This transformative act by President Biden and Democrats in Congress will reduce racial disparities in health care, create healthier communities, and strengthen the economy. The health care measures in Build Back Better will lower costs and improve and expand access to lifesaving care. Once passed by Congress and signed into law, the Build Back Better act will be the most significant expansion of affordable health care since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. 

VIRTUAL EVENT: 

WHO:
U.S. Representative Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01)
Dora Vasquez, Executive Director of Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans
Beatriz Morrison, Arizona Patient and Advocate

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference Calling on Congress to Pass Build Back Better Act With Health Care Provisions Including Medicare Negotiations to Lower Drug Costs

WHEN: Tuesday, November 16 at 1:10 PM MST // 3:10 PM EST

WHERE: Register For the Event Here

Washington, D.C. — As Democrats in Congress are on the cusp of passing the Build Back Better Act, new reporting indicates Republican lawmakers are focused on blocking a key provision that lowers prescription drug prices for working families. A pharmaceutical lobbyist revealed to Politico that the Republicans’ “operating plan” is to challenge any provision that would rein in the high costs of prescription drugs. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement: 

“Time and again, Republicans are ready to carry water for Big Pharma. The news of Republican lawmakers challenging any provision that would lower drug prices is just confirmation they are committed to protecting drug company profits until the bitter end. For years, Republicans have protected the broken system that allows drug companies to dictate whatever price they want to charge while millions of families struggle to afford the medications they need to survive. Big Pharma and its Republican allies recognize that the status quo ends with the Build Back Better Act, which works to put an end to outrageous price hikes and gives Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices. Fortunately, President Biden and Democrats in Congress are committed to putting an end to Big Pharma’s greed and finally bringing down drug prices.” 

New polling from Navigator Research released yesterday confirms that health care reforms remain the most popular part of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act. The poll found that voters believe that the measures to lower drug prices, bring down insurance premiums, and expand Medicare are the top reasons Congress should pass the Build Back Better Act. Other polling has consistently shown public support for these reforms.

A closer look at the results: 

Voters Agree the Best Reasons to Pass Build Back Better Are Medicare Negotiation for Lower Drug Prices, Expanding Medicare, and Reducing the Cost of Health Insurance. When it comes to policies that affect them directly, voters say giving Medicare the power to negotiate, expanding Medicare benefits, and making insurance more affordable are the best reasons to pass the plan. 

As Democrats are set to pass the Build Back Better Act next week, Republican lawmakers are fighting to block its most popular provision: giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. A closer look at campaign contributions reveals these GOP lawmakers are deeply tied to big drug companies, which explains why Republicans are spreading lies and trying to mislead the American people. In reality, voters across the political spectrum are demanding action to reign in Big Pharma’s greed and lower drug prices now. 

Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy: “Democrats are working overtime to eliminate innovation in new drugs and therapeutics and to allow Washington bureaucrats to decide which drugs seniors can take.” [11/5/21]

FACT CHECK: Medicare drug price negotiation included in the Build Back Better Act allows the federal government to establish fair prices with drug makers, not decide what medications Medicare beneficiaries can and cannot access. A 2017 report from the National Academies of Medicine on lowering costs and protecting innovation concluded, “drugs that are not affordable are of little value.” Build Back Better works to ensure Americans have access to the medications they need at prices they can afford. 

PHARMA INFLUENCE: Rep. Kevin McCarthy was the number one recipient of contributions from the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in 2020, receiving $242,353 in contributions.

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik: “Under Pelosi’s plan, these companies would be forced to cut research and design spending on new drugs, leading to fewer cures and lifesaving breakthroughs for individuals and families most in need of hope.” [6/4/21]

FACT CHECK: Deciding between lowering drug prices and ensuring innovation is a false choice. Between 2016 and 2020, 14 leading drugmakers spent $577 billion on stock buybacks and dividends—$56 billion more than what was invested in research and development over the same period. One company, Amgen, spent nearly six times more on executive pay, buybacks, and dividends than it did on research and development in 2018. 

PHARMA INFLUENCE: In the 2020 election cycle, Rep. Elise Stefanik received $67,956 from the pharmaceutical/health products industry. She has received an additional $6,043 for the 2022 cycle.

Energy & Commerce Ranking Member Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers: “More federal command and control over our health care will lead to less innovation [and] fewer cures.” [10/19/21]

FACT CHECK: Research has demonstrated that impacts from lowering drug prices can be successfully mitigated by large pharmaceutical companies reducing their spending on things like stock buybacks and dividends. This is not a make or break issue for the pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies could lose $1 trillion in sales, while maintaining research developments, and still be the most profitable industry, because pharmaceutical companies enjoy profit margins nearly three times the average for the S&P 500. Between 2000 and 2018, 35 large drug companies raked in a combined revenue of $11.5 trillion with a gross profit of $8.6 trillion — far more than other large companies. 

PHARMA INFLUENCE: Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers has received nearly $60,000 from the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry so far in the 2022 election cycle. Rep. McMorris Rodgers is the number one Republican recipient of contributions from the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in the 2022 election cycle. So far their contributions have totaled $57,760.

Rep. Devin Nunes: “The Democrats… say that to bring [down] the cost of drugs, we have to take back government control of prices. That we must sacrifice our world-leading innovation in treatments and cures to lower costs at the pharmacy counter for seniors.” [10/14/21]

FACT CHECK: Major drug companies often outsource research and development. A 2019 analysis from Stat found a majority of top-selling drugs from two of the largest drug companies — Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson — were discovered and developed by third parties, such as universities and academic centers. These findings suggest that “a reduction in pharmaceutical revenues would not have the supposed devastating impact on the level of biopharmaceutical innovation.” 

PHARMA INFLUENCE: In the 2020 election cycle, Rep. Devin Nunes received $121,283 in total contributions from the pharmaceutical/health products industry. He has received an additional $16,722 for the 2022 election cycle so far. 

Sen. Tim Scott: “From curing rare diseases to increasing life spans by many years, recent medical advancements have been nothing short of miraculous for seniors and other at-risk populations. Handing over drug pricing to the federal government would halt that positive momentum and put life saving medications further out of reach for too many Americans.” [10/1/21]

FACT CHECK: Time and again, drug companies hike the prices of drugs without any added benefit to patients. According to Patients for Affordable Drugs, a vial of band name insulin costs about $4 to make but costs $270 and one capsule of the cancer drug Revlimid costs less than a dollar to make but sells for $833. 

PHARMA INFLUENCE: The pharmaceutical industry has donated $270,773 to Sen. Tim Scott for the 2022 election cycle. In his career since 2009, Sen. Tim Scott has received nearly $750,000 from the pharmaceutical industry.

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 10 AT 12:00 PM EST***

Augusta, ME — Today, Wednesday, November 10 at 12:00 PM ET, state lawmakers and local health care advocates will join Protect Our Care Maine, calling on Congress to immediately pass the Build Back Better Act. The coalition will also discuss significant health care provisions in the Build Back Better Act —including giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, addressing the Medicaid coverage gap, and much more — to lower costs and improve access to health care.

This transformative act by President Biden and Democrats in Congress will reduce racial disparities in health care, create healthier communities, and strengthen the economy. The health care measures in Build Back Better will lower costs and improve and expand access to lifesaving care. Once passed by Congress and signed into law, the Build Back Better act will be the most significant expansion of affordable health care since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. 

VIRTUAL EVENT:
WHO:
Maine State Senate President Troy Jackson
Ann Woloson, Maine Consumers for Affordable Health Care
Marie Follayttar, Mainers for Accountable Leadership
Sharon Pelletier-Ayer, Bangor Resident
Brad Woodhouse, Protect Our Care Executive Director 

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference Calling on Congress to Pass Build Back Better Act With Health Care Provisions Including Medicare Negotiations to Lower Drug Costs

WHERE: Register for the Event Here 

WHEN: Wednesday, October 10 at 12:00 PM EST

Democrats in Congress reached a historic agreement to lower prescription drug prices for all Americans through the Build Back Better Act.

For 20 years, drug companies have benefited from a law that bans Medicare from negotiating lower prices for patients. As a result, Americans pay three times more for the same drugs as people do in other countries. Build Back Better will give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices once and for all, and it will cap seniors’ out-of-pocket drug costs, stop excessive price increases for existing medications, and limit insulin copays to $35 per month for diabetics.

Even as Congress has landed on a deal, Big Pharma has continued to deploy its vast warchest – and a series of well-funded front groups – to mislead, distort and outright threaten patients in their effort to hold on to their staggering prices and profits.

Almost all of them are channeled through groups with patient-friendly names that have one thing in common: drug industry money or connections. 

This updated report details how the many major ad campaigns currently running against prescription drug price reform are actually backed by pharmaceutical industry funds. The ads are paid for by the same people who profit by keeping the prices artificially high and protecting their monopoly while millions of American families cannot afford life saving medicines.

REVEALED: PHARMA’S CAMPAIGN TO STOP LOWER DRUG PRICES

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

PhRMA Is Spending Millions Misleading The American People. In September, PhRMA launched a 7-figure ad buy against drug price negotiation proposals moving through Congress. The tPhRMA is out with twoa new advertising campaigns intended to make Americans fear Medicare drug price negotiation by claiming politicians will decide what drugs patients can get. The ad, featuring Sue — a Type 1 diabetic,  made such outrageous claims about restricting patients access to needed medications, the Washington Post gave it a ‘Three Pinachios’ rating and said the ad was PhRMA’s attempt to claim “there are provisions in the legislation that do not exist.” In 2021, a CBO working paper estimated that if Medicare was empowered to negotiate drug prices, they would “fall between 57 percent and 75 percent, relative to current prices.” Factcheck.org agrees that Medicare negotiation would not prevent beneficiaries from accessing medications and PhRMA’s ads are an “inaccurate portrayal of recent legislation.”

PhRMA Cannot Be Trusted With Drug Pricing Reform. PhRMA represents the nation’s leading biopharmaceutical companies. Americans see through the fear tactics used by pharma industry trade groups, with 75 percent of Americans reporting they do not trust the industry to fairly price prescription drugs.

PhRMA Spent More Than $20 Million On Lobbying In 2021 So Far. According to OpenSecrets, PhRMA has spent $22.9 million on lobbying in 2021 so far. PhRMA is on track to break their 2019 lobbying spending record of $29.3 million this year. According to research by Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, PhRMA and its front groups have spent at least $26.5 million on television and digital ads against Medicare drug price negotiation between July and November of this year.

American Action Network (AAN)

American Action Network Is Funneling Millions Into Misinformation Campaigns. AAN is currently running a $5 million advertising campaign, claiming the recent budget resolution is “a socialist prescription drug plan that would limit patients’ access to lifesaving medications.” In reality, the resolution would allow Medicare to negotiate fair prescription drug prices, something 88 percent of Americans strongly support. In 2019, AAN received $4.5 million from PhRMA, the largest contribution made by the trade group that year. 

American Action Network Has Received Millions From A Pharmaceutical Trade Group. AAN has a long history of accepting funds from the pharmaceutical industry. A year after the group’s formation, AAN took $4.5 million from PhRMA. This trend has continued, with AAN receiving nearly $15 million from PhRMA between 2016 and 2019.

Medicare Today

Medicare Today Is Not Telling The Whole Story. Medicare Today launched an advertising campaign, claiming that 92 percent of seniors are “satisfied” with Medicare. What Medicare Today failed to mention is while seniors support the program, they are also strongly in favor of improving Medicare and lowering drug costs. The majority of seniors support allowing the government to negotiate prescription drug prices (82 percent), placing a limit on out-of-pocket drug costs (68 percent), and lowering the amount Medicare pays for drugs based on amounts in other countries (60 percent). 

Medicare Today Was Launched By Big Pharma Executives. Medicare Today was launched in 2004 by the Healthcare Leadership Council, a coalition of health care executives, which includes the pharmaceutical industry. Healthcare Leadership Council includes the drugmakers: Amgen, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Pfizer.

Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

Partnership To Fight Chronic Disease Is Using Big Pharma’s Tired Scare Tactics. The Partnership To Fight Chronic Disease is running a new advertising campaign claiming drug price negotiation will stifle innovation and reduce patient access to lifesaving drugs. The CBO analyzed the impact of a decrease in pharmaceutical revenue by as much as $1 trillion and found that it would only have a modest impact on drugs coming to market (impacting approximately eight of the 300 new drugs expected in the next decade). Only 10 percent of drugs that have entered the market over the last 50 years have represented therapeutic advances, with drugmakers making deliberate choices not to invest in research and development, and instead focusing resources on obtaining patents on old drugs, in order to “extend patent protection, prolong monopoly pricing periods, and keep generic competitors off the market.”

Partnership To Fight Chronic Disease Is Funded By Big Pharma. It is no wonder why the Partnership To Fight Chronic Disease is working so hard to protect the bottom line of drugmakers — they are an affiliate of Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, which represents biopharmaceutical corporations. Over the past 10 years, the Partnership To Fight Chronic Disease has listed PhRMA officials as key employees on tax forms and despite running multi-million ad campaigns, the organization has not reported fundraising costs since its founding in 2007. 

Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA)

PILMA Is Making False Claims That Medicare Price Negotiation Will Damage Innovation. PILMA is running an advertising campaign claiming that Medicare price negotiations would harm innovation and make it harder for patients to access their medications. This is simply not true and fails to recognize that under our current system, nearly one in three Americans report not taking a medication as prescribed due to cost. A 2017 report from the National Academies of Medicine found, “drugs that are not affordable are of little value.”

PILMA Cannot Be Trusted With Drug Pricing Reform. PILMA is a coalition of biopharmaceutical companies and labor unions. Americans recognize that Big Pharma is putting profits over people, with 80 percent of Americans reporting the pharmaceutical industry’s profits as a “major factor” for the high cost of prescription drugs. 

60 Plus Association 

60 Plus Association Is Fighting Medicare Price Negotiation. The CBO found Medicare drug negotiation would save patients more than $150 billion at the pharmacy counter, yet 60 Plus Association is running an advertising campaign, attempting to sell Medicare negotiation as a ‘scam’. In reality, it is 60 Plus that has been deceiving the public. In 2016, the Koch Brother affiliated organization was fined by the Federal Election Commission after violating federal rules requiring they identify the source of funds earmarked for political expenditures. 60 Plus, along with two other Koch affiliated groups, consented to pay a total of more than $200,000. The New York Times referred to the investigation as “a look…into the interlocking networks of political nonprofits on the right, through which vast sums of money flow each election cycle with little disclosure.”

In September 2021, 60 Plus released another ad campaign referring to the $500 billion saved by the government from drug price negotiation as “cuts to Medicare.” KHN and Politifact agree that this is misleading since the $500 billion would not be “swiped” by Democratic leaders, but would be used for reinvestment in Medicare hearing expansion.

60 Plus Association Has Received Millions From The Drug Industry. It is clear who has been holding the reins at 60 Plus. In 2002, 91 percent of its $12 million revenue came from a single donor, which Public Citizen presumes to be PhRMA. 60 Plus has also received money from drugmakers like Pfizer, Merck, and Wyeth-Ayerst.

One Nation

One Nation Is Burying the Lede. One Nation is running a new advertising campaign claiming “good health care is hard enough to get” and that Medicare drug price negotiation would restrict access to lifesaving drugs. What One Nation fails to mention is one of the leading limitations to health care access is the soaring cost of prescription drugs. 29 percent of Americans taking prescription drugs have reported not filling, halving, or skipping a needed prescription due to cost in the past year.

A Big Pharma Lobbyist Sits On One Nation’s Board. One Nation added Ken Cole, former lobbyist for Pfizer and Chamber of Commerce board member, to their board in 2019. Pfizer and the Chamber of Commerce have spent a collective $1 billion on lobbying over the last decade, including on efforts to kill legislation aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drug prices. 

National Association Of Manufacturers

National Association Of Manufacturers Falsely Link Price Setting With Decreases In Innovation. The National Association of Manufacturers released an ad campaign in early October falsely linking Medicare price negotiation with decreases in innovation for “life-saving cures and vaccines.” The Harvard Business Review found that even though Medicare negotiation would lead to 2 fewer drugs in the next decade and 23 fewer in the following decade, price setting would not lead to decreased innovation as many of these drugs would be modified versions of already existing drugs.

PhRMA Is A Member of NAM. NAM member organizations represent a plethora of different industries like textile manufacturers, paper products, and the meat industry. PhRMA is a member of NAM and has been able to successfully air ads attacking Medicare negotiation under the NAM branding.