Washington DC — This week, Republicans on the House Ways & Means Committee released a series of bills proposing additional tax breaks for drug companies while rejecting measures to lower prices for patients. According to Inside Health Policy, if the GOP takes back the House, they “will focus on giving tax breaks to drug companies instead of Democrats’ goal of directing Medicare to negotiate drug prices.” In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Republicans want to maintain the status quo where drug companies get to dictate whatever price they want to charge while millions of patients struggle to afford lifesaving medications. While Americans are cutting pills and skipping doses, drug companies continue to rake in record profits. The bills introduced by Republicans on the House Ways & Means Committee would do nothing to help patients at the pharmacy counter. Instead of coming to the table with meaningful solutions like giving Medicare the power to negotiate, Republicans would rather give in to Pharma’s demands.”