Dear editors,
W.Va. Delegate Jordan Hill, R-Nicholas
Chairman of the W.Va. House of Delegate’s Committee
on Health and Human Resources
West Virginia has borne the brunt of rising prescription drug prices. As a working-class state, many of our neighbors can’t afford their needed medications after the pharmaceutical industry has hiked the prices of common prescription drugs, such as insulin and blood thinners, for decades. Polls show that a majority of voters here are worried about drug prices and want their representatives on Capitol Hill to take action to lower costs.
Our U.S. Senators can help by supporting the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act. It has support from President Trump and a bipartisan group of Congress members. The bill would protect West Virginians on Medicare who have to take several different prescription drugs or a few expensive ones. Their annual out-of-pocket costs would be limited to $3,100.
A financially painful loophole in Medicare that has drained the savings of many people would finally be closed if the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act clears Congress and reaches President Trump’s desk. I am confident that our representatives, including Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, can provide the bill with the backing it needs to make it past the Senate. They know that prescription costs are devastating. But with their help, West Virginia can see lower drug prices.