Received this e-mail today from U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s (D. OH) re-election bid:
If a company hikes up the price on your favorite brand of soda, you can buy a different brand. Or you can buy something else -- iced tea, flavored water, sports drinks, etc.
That's not how it works with life-saving medications. Sick people need to buy their prescriptions. And if only one company makes the drug they need, then that company can charge what they want -- and sick people have to pay it.
The government grants pharmaceutical companies long patents on drugs, so there is little to no competition. We don't even allow Medicare, which has huge buying power when it comes to prescriptions, to negotiate the cost of drugs.
Big drug companies are taking full advantage. In the past few years especially, we've seen the price of essential, life-saving drugs skyrocket as much as 400%. Big pharmaceutical companies rake in huge profits, while patients struggle to afford the drugs they can't live without.
It's time we did something about this problem. I have a plan to allow Medicare to negotiate drug pricing with pharmaceutical companies. My plan would help cut costs for nearly 41 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D and boost Medicare savings for taxpayers.
Negotiating better drug prices is a win for everyone. Urge Congress to take action and bring down prescription drug prices. Sign the petition.
This shouldn't be a partisan issue. During his campaign, President Trump even said "When it comes time to negotiate the cost of drugs, we are going to negotiate like crazy."
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, almost 80 percent of Americans believe prescription drug prices are too high, and Congress should work to bring them down.
It's time for the crazy negotiating to begin. Demand Congress let Medicare negotiate drug prices.
Thank you.
Sherrod