news

 Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) penned an op-ed in the Lima News shining a spotlight on the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, a bipartisan plan for lowering the costs of prescription medications for people across the country.

Bipartisan plan better for people needing medicine

By: Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5)

December 11, 2019

As the cost of prescription drugs continues to skyrocket from sea to shining sea, more and more Americans are finding that they can’t afford to fill their scripts. I’ve received hundreds of calls, emails, and letters from healthcare workers and patients alike about the high cost of the drugs they need. For many, these high costs mean having to choose between the drugs they need and other necessities like food, housing, and saving for the future.

…

This holiday season, patients are hoping for lower drug prices, but that is far from what Speaker Pelosi is proposing.

Speaker Pelosi’s bill, H.R. 3, leads to fewer cures for patients who count on American innovation for hope. It was crafted behind closed doors without any Republican input. It incentivizes bullying manufacturers into government-mandated price controls that will severely hinder innovation. It is estimated to lead to 100 fewer lifesaving drugs from reaching the people who need them most. Speaker Pelosi’s decision to move forward on her extreme drug pricing legislation discredits the incredible bipartisan work we’ve accomplished that could deliver lower drug prices without harming innovation. H.R. 3 only further delays relief for millions of Americans as it is all for show and will never be signed into law.

…

H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, uses bipartisan reforms to lower out of pocket spending, protect access to new medicines and cures, strengthen transparency, and champion competition.

Every single provision is bipartisan.

…

Our plan doesn’t crush investment in the research and development of new cures. When confronted with the realities of what H.R. 3 would mean for fewer new drugs, some Democrats have said it is “worth it” to lose new cures in order pass their partisan plan.

But, when it comes to drugs that improve or save a loved one’s life, we know it is not “worth it.” Our bipartisan plan stands in stark contrast as it increases low-cost options for patients by bringing more generic and biosimilar competition to the marketplace faster. It puts politics to the side and prioritizes what Americans need most – more cures and better access to affordable medications.

Click here to read the op-ed online.

###