October 14, 2022
Seniors Laud President Biden’s Executive Order Further Lowering Drug Costs
The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, regarding the Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to explore additional actions it can take to lower prescription drug costs:
“The Executive Order signed by President Biden today shows a welcome commitment to lower drug prices and hold the pharmaceutical corporations accountable. It is a logical supplement to the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, which gives Medicare the ability to negotiate lower prices and cap out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries.
“Seniors take more prescription drugs on average than the public at large. This action will provide additional economic relief for older Americans who would otherwise have trouble making ends meet each month.”
The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to utilize its Innovation Center to identify new ways to use the Innovation Center’s authority to lower drug costs and promote access to modern drug therapies for Medicare beneficiaries.
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Contact: David Blank, dblank@retiredamericans.org
As of October of 2022, as a spouse of a retired state employee, I continue to have copays of $10 to $30 from monthly to 90 days supply and Tier 3 copays for asthma inhalers of monthly to 90 days supply of $75 each for generic Symbicort and non-generic Spiriva with great help from my spouse’ Washington State Retired State Employee health insurance. Our citizen lobby power in Washington State helped reduce insulin costs to $10/month for retired State, County, Municipal and other governmental groups!
Our retired friends and family members who have either private business retirement plans or limited government employee pensions or no retirement plans have more difficulty with health care costs.
Fewer people in the US save for their days of retirement.