DeMarco demands drug cost pledges from congressional nominees swiftly

TL/DR –

Vincent DeMarco, the President of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, is urging newly victorious congressional nominees to commit to lowering prescription drug costs for Maryland and the United States. DeMarco is a major advocate for the state’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board and has called for support of the health care access and drug affordability provisions in President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The Act includes provisions to reduce prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients, including capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month and setting a limit for out-of-pocket prescription costs at $2000 per year.

Lower Prescription Drug Costs: An Appeal to Congressional Nominees

After the 2024 Maryland primary elections, Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative President Vincent DeMarco calls on victorious congressional nominees to commit to reducing drug costs across Maryland and the United States.

DeMarco’s congratulatory letter also extends an invite for nominees to support the health care access and prescription drug affordability provisions of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

DeMarco, a renowned health care advocate, is spearheading the state’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board, seeking ways to lower drug costs for state health care beneficiaries. He envisions affordable prescription medications nationwide.

“Marylanders need to know their nominees’ stance on the health care coverage and prescription drug affordability benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act,” DeMarco stated.

Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, signed in August 2022, includes provisions aimed at reducing prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients. It also features measures for climate change and job creation.

Noteworthy changes from the Act include a cap on insulin costs for Medicare recipients at $35 a month and a limit on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs to $2000 per year from the following year.

Moreover, the Act grants the federal government permission to negotiate drug costs with manufacturers for certain Medicare-covered medications.

The Act, however, faced opposition and barely passed in Congress in 2022. According to Axios, PhRMA, a pharmaceutical industry lobbying group, challenged the Medicare drug price negotiation process in court but got dismissed in February.

Maryland Health Care for All has an online submission form for responses open until July 15. Signing the pledge means opposing weakening the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug affordability provisions. Committing to the pledge also entails protecting federal health care subsidies, which are set to expire in 2025, and endeavoring to extend them.

Premature predictions of the fall campaigns were already in view well before midnight, just hours post polls closing. Former Gov. Larry Hogan won the GOP Senate nomination and is set to race against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who led over U.S. Rep. David Trone. This Senate seat is vacated by retiring Sen. Ben Cardin.

All five House incumbents seeking reelection emerged victorious. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., Sen. Sarah Elfreth, and April McClain Delaney and former Del. Neil Parrot, clinched nominations in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th district races, respectively.

In his letter, DeMarco assures congressional candidates that the Initiative will publicize their stand on this critical issue. He adds that the Initiative will ensure Maryland voters know which candidates are committed to preserving health care gains.

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