New bill would lower drug costs by stopping price gouging

How much are you paying for prescriptions each month? If you are like most Americans, it is probably too much.

“I spend a lot on prescriptions,” said Mary Thornewell, who lives in Lehigh Acres.

Thornewell knows how much high drug prices hurt. Sometimes, she is not even able to purchase groceries.

She is not alone and leaders in Washington are well aware.

Francis Rooney, Florida U.S. Rep., just announced a bill with two other lawmakers. The End Price Gouging for Medications Act would cut the cost of drugs in America to match other developed countries where prices are less expensive.

Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley illustrates this on his Facebook page, where he shows a drug you can get for $29 in Australia compared to America where it is $309.

“This is an issue that bridges the partisan divide,” said Susan Collins, Republican U.S. senator from Maine.

On Thursday, leaders in Washington talked about working together on other laws to save you money.

“For far too long,” said Virginia U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger. “We have not in Washington taken the action to truly address and fix this problem.”

Rooney’s legislation does just that.

“Capping American prices at those paid by other developed nations,” Rooney said, “is a simple solution to avoid Americans’ overpaying for the drugs they need.”

If approved, the act introduced by Rooney would boost innovation by sending extra drug company revenue to research at the National Institute of Health to help develop lifesaving drugs.

Despite the show of support, patients in Southwest Florida like Thornewell remain skeptical as prices continue to rise.

“They haven’t done it so far,” Thornewell said, “so I don’t know how that would work out.”