We need to lower drug prices

No American should be forced to choose between paying for the medicines need and paying for food, rent, or other necessities. I urge Iowa lawmakers to work together with all members of Congress now to protect older Americans and pass bipartisan, common-sense legislation to lower prescription drug prices.

Thankfully, the US House of Representatives has advanced The Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 (H.R. 3) out of key committees, and hopefully the bill will be on the floor soon.

Last week, The Gazette featured a Community Letter that thanked U.S. Representatives Cindy Axne, Abby Finkenauer and Dave Loebsack for co-sponsoring HR 3. I agree with thanking them and I also thank Sen. Chuck Grassley who has sponsored and led a bill out of US Senate Finance Committee to lower drug prices and costs, the Grassley-Wyden Bill which would significantly lower drug costs for American consumers.

Both HR 3 and Grassley-Wyden would greatly benefit seniors and the federal budget. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for high-cost drugs with no competitors would save taxpayers a $345 billion, and Grassley-Wyden would save taxpayers over $100 billion.

It's time to act. As a volunteer for AARP Iowa, I and my fellow volunteers are determined to win this fight of behalf of older Americans, and we stand with all our elected officials who are committed to lowering drug prices.

Mary Muehl

AARP Iowa Executive Council

Cedar Rapids