Let’s talk about drug costs AND access to care

Nobody is more interested than those of us with serious diseases in finding ways to make medical treatments more affordable. And nobody is more interested than we are in making sure that those treatments are accessible. We need both, and we don’t think these two goals should be mutually exclusive.

We were happy to join several other Alabama-based organizations in asking our state’s congressional delegation to think carefully about drug price proposals that might limit our options in treatments, including the medical breakthroughs we all want and need.

We hope this at least starts a conversation.

Here’s the letter:

As advocates who work on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Alabamians who have serious diseases and disabilities, we share your concerns about rising out-of-pocket costs for those covered by Medicare. But like you, we want to make sure we find solutions that lower patient costs without creating different and potentially worse barriers to care.
Patients need access to a full range of options for their treatments and to be able to determine, in partnership with their doctors, what option will work best for them. The government should not be able to dictate whether treatments are available, nor should patient choices be limited based on prices derived from foreign countries that offer far fewer alternatives for care.
We encourage you to support solutions that reduce patients’ costs without undermining their access to existing treatments and breakthrough advances in care. Examples of positive ideas include the proposal to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs in Part D, as well as the proposal to require health plans to share savings from Medicare Part D drug rebates with patients. These would directly address cost barriers for patients and ensure better access to care.
As taxpayers, we understand the government’s broader interest in controlling its costs in the Medicare program. We believe putting patients first also achieves that goal. By lowering out-of-pocket costs and ensuring access to an array of treatments, we can prevent poor outcomes that lead to hospitalizations, costly complications and other adverse consequences. We urge you to support policies that will help you control costs by ensuring the well-being of seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Sincerely,

Alabama Cancer Association
Alabama Council of Behavioral Health Alabama Lifespan Respite Resource Network Alabama Rare
NEAL Together
Operation Save Rural Alabama
6:52 Project Foundation
Stop All M.S.
Survivors Cancer Action Network