Like many Americans, far too many Floridians have been unfairly burdened by the rising costs of prescription medication. Families should not be forced to choose between a prescription or making their monthly mortgage payment. That’s why, during my short time in Congress, I’ve strongly support efforts to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and increase transparency in pharmaceutical costs.
This week, we made some critical progress on that front by passing bills to prohibit insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from using the “pharmacy gag clause”—an outrageous practice that forbids pharmacists from telling patients whether their prescription drugs would cost more out of pocket or through their insurance plan. This can cause patients to pay significantly more for their drugs than necessary. In fact, researchers found that, in 2013, consumers overpaid $135 million due to pharmacy gag clauses.
Empowering people to know which payment method saves them the most money on their prescriptions is simply the right, common-sense thing to do. That’s why I strongly supported these two bills—the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act and Know the Lowest Price Act—which together will make healthcare more transparent and more affordable for seniors and families.
