Under no circumstance should a family or individual have to forego meeting their most basic needs such as food, transportation, and housing just so that they can afford to fill a lifesaving prescription. However, this is the scenario that is playing out for far too many people across our nation. It is simply unacceptable.

As Americans, we pride ourselves on being global leaders in so many categories – but when it comes to the cost of prescription medicine, we fall far behind the rest of the world. A report I commissioned earlier this year showed that the price of Insulin for diabetic patients in NY-25 is roughly 21 times more expensive than the identical medicine is in Australia, 14 times more than in the United Kingdom, and 12 times more than it is just across the border in Canada. Even worse, studies show that manufacturers could charge as little as $7-$11 per month for Insulin and still make a profit – yet prices for these drugs continue to rise to over $450 per month.

The costs of prescription drugs has reached a crisis point in our nation and that is why I am working tirelessly in Congress to ensure all Americans can afford the lifesaving medicine they need. I am proud to take action and cosponsor:

HR 3 Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Cost Now Act
Would empower the federal government to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs, put an end to Americans paying three or four times more for medicine than people in other countries, reverse years of unfair price hikes, and cap seniors' out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs at $2,000 per year

HR 3203 to ensure eligible hospitals continue to have access to the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Would allow hospitals who were previously eligible for the drug discount program under Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to maintain eligibility, which would ensure patients can continue to access these life-saving medications at an affordable price

H.R.4385 Cancer Drug Parity Act
Requires a group health plan to ensure that patient copays for oral anticancer are not higher than the copays for anticancer medications administered by a health care provider.

H.R. 2464 More Help For Seniors Act 
Will raise income limits for eligibility under the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Program, which will help low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities afford life-saving medications by lowering co-pays and premiums

H.R. 2179 Affordable Insulin for the COVID-19 Emergency Act 
Ensures that Medicare patients who rely on insulin are able to obtain their prescriptions and any associated medical supplies with no copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

H.R. 1978 Protecting Seniors Through Immunization Act
Would provide Medicare patients the ability to access all recommended vaccines, including shingles, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis at no additional cost, while also improving vaccine awareness and education