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SB357/HB424 - Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Authority for Upper Payment Limits (Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders Now Act) would grant Maryland’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board the expanded authority to set statewide upper payment limits to make high-cost drugs more affordable for all Marylanders. We have been pleased to see the progress the Board has made over the last year, particularly the approval of its Upper Payment Limit Action Plan to make prescription drugs more affordable for state and local governments. However, the fact remains that we must do more to directly help Marylanders struggling to afford their medications. This legislation would provide meaningful relief to our families and neighbors at a time when so many Marylanders are forced to choose between filling their prescriptions and filling their fridges.
Polling shows as many as 45% of Marylanders report struggling to afford the medicines they need, with one third of Marylanders skipping a dose, rationing medication, or leaving a prescription unfilled due to cost. At the same time, skyrocketing drug costs are contributing to all of our health insurance premiums, making quality coverage less affordable for our residents. Meanwhile, prescription drug corporations use far more resources on self-enrichment and advertising than they do on research and development, regularly prioritizing profits over patients. Marylanders should not have to choose between their prescription drugs and other necessities. With federal action on this issue uncertain under the new administration, it is critical that Maryland, under the guidance of this committee, continues to lead the nation on prescription drug affordability efforts.
Please contact members of the Senate Finance and House Health & Government Operations Committees TODAY to urge their support for SB357/SB424.
*****Click HERE to send an email to the Finance committee members.*****
*****Click HERE to send an email to the Health & Government Operations committee members.*****
We have also included the email addresses for the Committe members for you to cut/paste into your email app.
Senate Finance:
pamela.beidle@senate.state.md.us, antonio.hayes@senate.state.md.us, arthur.ellis@senate.state.md.us, dawn.gile@senate.state.md.us, steve.hershey@senate.state.md.us, Ben.Kramer@senate.state.md.us, clarence.lam@senate.state.md.us, johnny.mautz@senate.state.md.us, justin.ready@senate.state.md.us, alonzo.washington@senate.state.md.us
House Health and Government Operations:
joseline.pena.melnyk@house.state.md.us, bonnie.cullison@house.state.md.us, tiffany.alston@house.state.md.us, heather.bagnall@house.state.md.us, harry.bhandari@house.state.md.us, brian.chisholm@house.state.md.us, pam.guzzone@house.state.md.us, Terri.Hill@house.state.md.us, tom.hutchinson@house.state.md.us, steve.johnson@house.state.md.us, anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us, ken.kerr@house.state.md.us, nicholaus.kipke@house.state.md.us, lesley.lopez@house.state.md.us, ashanti.martinez@house.state.md.us, Matt.Morgan@house.state.md.us, Teresa.Reilly@house.state.md.us, samuel.rosenberg@house.state.md.us, kathy.szeliga@house.state.md.us, deni.taveras@house.state.md.us, jennifer.white@house.state.md.us, jamila.woods@house.state.md.us, teresa.woorman@house.state.md.us
If you are able to call the Committee members, you can access their phone numbers here on the Senate Finance and House Health & Government Operations Committees page of the Maryland General Assembly website. Regardless of the method you choose, please take action today!
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