February 07, 2020

Kitty Kennedy

The story of Kitty Kennedy, 74, involves a severe allergic reaction that could be treated with medication and an ointment, Clobetasol. The price was almost $500, costing her a $242 copay. Fortunately Medicare Part D lessened the blow or she would have had to pay the full $500. In 2014 this medicine cost about $15 a tube – until a pharmaceutical company merger resulted in an exorbitant price increase.

Retirees need more prescription drugs than other Americans, and Americans pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world. Kitty supports changes such as allowing Medicare to negotiate drug and biologic prices and permitting Americans to safely import drugs from abroad.

She also supports ending direct-to-consumer drug company advertising subsidies and requiring drug companies that benefit from taxpayers’ support to invest in research, not marketing.

“We need to strengthen and expand Medicare to allow early retirees to purchase Medicare policies at affordable premium rates,” said Kitty. “Medicare should include dental, vision, and hearing benefits as well.”