U.S. Reps. Wild and Davids Underscored the Importance of Delivering Lower Drug Prices in the Build Back Better Act
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Representatives Susan Wild (D-PA-07) and Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) joined Protect Our Care for a virtual press conference to call on their colleagues in Congress to deliver lower drug prices by giving Medicare the full power to negotiate. As lawmakers work to finalize budget legislation, press reports have indicated that Big Pharma has tightened its grip on its allies in Congress — potentially threatening prescription drug pricing reform altogether. During the call, Reps. Wild and Davids made clear that Medicare negotiation is among the most important provisions in the entire Build Back Better Act, and the measure cannot be watered down if Congress wants to meaningfully lower prescription drug prices for patients.
Reps. Wild and Davids are leading the charge for lower drug prices for all Americans. In July, Rep. Wild led a letter from frontline House Democrats including Rep. Sharice Davids to Democratic leadership urging them to include Medicare negotiation power in the upcoming reconciliation bill. Rep. Davids recently wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post with other frontline Democrats arguing that Congress must stand up to drug companies and ensure that patients come first by giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices.
“No American should be forced into a possible choice between life-saving medicine or food on the table, and it’s unconscionable that pharmaceutical companies are still able to charge Americans several times more than what they charge for the same drugs in other countries – all while still recording massive profits,” said U.S. Representative Susan Wild. “I still firmly believe we must include drug pricing reform in the Build Back Better Act, not only because it would help pay for the bill, but because it’s what an overwhelming, bipartisan majority of the American people are demanding from Congress. We cannot let this once-in-a-generation opportunity pass us by.”
“We have a solution. Medicare negotiations would help save our government and private businesses billions of dollars and reduce premiums, prescription drug prices, and overall health care costs for everyone,” said U.S. Representative Sharice Davids. “We are in the 11th hour to make a difference in people’s lives, and we must demonstrate that we are here in service of our communities and constituents and not in service of pharmaceutical companies.”
“The so-called alternatives to Medicare negotiation being pushed by pro-Pharma members would maintain the status quo where drug companies can dictate whatever price they want while Americans pay three times more for drugs as people in other countries,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Giving Medicare the full power to negotiate for lower prices is not just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing to do. Democrats ran and won on health care in 2020, and frontline members understand that if we do nothing to meaningfully lower drug prices for patients, the Democratic majority is at stake. It’s plain and simple: this is not the time for capitulation to drug companies. Congress must act now to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for all Americans.”