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Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is helping introduce a bipartisan bill today to lower prescription drug prices and protect access to new medicines and cures. H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act uses bipartisan reforms to cap how much seniors pay each year at the pharmacy and requires full cost transparency at the doctor’s office. The legislation also includes a specific provision to make insulin more affordable.

“Seniors and other patients in Southwest Washington pay too much for prescription drugs and it’s not uncommon for them to skip doses, cut pills in half, or forego filling prescriptions altogether. This is not right and it’s why I’m co-leading this important, bipartisan legislation to help seniors on fixed incomes pay less for insulin and other prescription drugs,” Herrera Beutler said.

“Congress has more work to do to lower the cost of Southwest Washington residents’ medications, so it’s important that we proceed in a bipartisan manner. Everything in this bill has the support of Republicans and Democrats. Seniors and folks who need to manage chronic conditions shouldn’t have to endure a partisan standoff where each side stubbornly clings to ideological bills that the Senate and president won’t consider – they need relief now.”

How H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act would lower drug prices:

• Caps seniors’ out-of-pocket costs at $3,100 for the year. The average cost per month for seniors with high drug costs is $2,140. This reform would have helped about one million Americans save money in 2017.
• Caps insulin at $50 a month for seniors, making this life-saving drug more affordable
• Increases low-cost options for patients by bringing more generic competition to the marketplace faster
• Requires insurance companies to make information about drug costs available in the doctor’s office before a prescription is written so a patient knows the cost and so doctors can prescribe the best and most affordable option
• Establishes a new negotiator at the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate and advocate for the American consumer in all international trade agreement with respect to drug prices. Developed countries are unfairly benefitting from American medical innovation while Americans are paying some of the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs.