Letter: Lower prescription drug prices

Published 10:00 am Tuesday, December 17, 2019

To the Editor:

As someone with a long career in nursing, I know how important it is that my patients have access to the prescriptions they need to live healthy lives. I appreciate the good work that Congressman Greg Walden is doing to lower prescription drug costs and increase access for patients. Greg’s work to help import FDA-approved drugs into the U.S. would help lower the price of critical drugs like insulin, while providing Americans with greater choice in the marketplace. Walden has also used his post on the Energy and Commerce Committee to get legislation passed that goes after high prescription drug prices. In 2018, he helped pass legislation to increase price transparency and allow pharmacists to inform patients that their drug would be cheaper if they paid for it out of pocket rather than through insurance. This year, he doubled down on that by introducing the “Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019.” The bill would lower out-of-pocket spending for patients and ensure that the U.S. will continue to lead the world in developing new cures. I have personally taken part in meetings Greg has held with constituents in his district as well as health care professionals that deal with pharmaceutical drugs every day. The message is always the same — lower prescription drug prices. He has worked hard to carry that message back to D.C. and get results.

Sam Palmer

John Day