Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) applauded the House passage of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which she co-sponsored.
“Oregonians are demanding that Congress address outrageous and ever-increasing costs of life-saving prescription medications,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “With this vote today, the House is taking an important step. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act will ease the burden on seniors and working families who often face prescription prices so unaffordable that they must choose between paying for necessary medications or putting food on the table.
“I am supporting H.R. 3 to stand with all Oregonians who are fighting for their health in the face of unreasonable and unfair drug prices. I have heard from constituents like Rohan, a student from Beaverton who relies on expensive insulin to manage his Type 1 Diabetes. Dave in Newberg, wrote to me - distressed - about the thousands of dollars it costs to treat his wife's metastatic breast cancer.”
Video of Bonamici sharing her support for H.R. 3 can be found here.
H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, takes important steps to reduce expenses related to prescription drugs. It allows Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices, creates an international pricing index to prevent companies from charging much more for the same drug in the U.S. than abroad, and implements a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries. Many of these benefits would be passed on to private employers and individuals.
Bonamici helped craft H.R. 3 through her role on the Education and Labor Committee, which marked up the legislation earlier this year.
H.R. 3 will reduce drug costs for millions of Americans, including thousands in NW Oregon. You can find a fact sheet prepared by the House Ways and Means Committee with details about how much prices are expected to decrease for Oregonians here.
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