Congressman McGarvey Introduces Legislation to Cap Drug Prices for Over 270,000 Kentucky Seniors, People With Disabilities
Today, Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) introduced the Cutting Copays Act, which would cut the cost of generic prescription drugs to $0 for over 270,000 Kentucky seniors and people with disabilities.
“The cost of prescription drugs is out of control and far too often, Americans have to choose between paying for the medication they need and putting food on the table,” said Congressman Morgan McGarvey. “My bipartisan bill cuts the cost of these life-saving drugs for 14 million Americans, including over 270,000 Kentucky seniors and people with disabilities.”
“Record inflation has driven up the cost of everyday essentials, hitting those on fixed incomes the hardest,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. “Research shows that we can improve health outcomes for our most vulnerable seniors by eliminating barriers to disease management and medication adherence. Removing cost-sharing for generic medications in Medicare Part D’s Low Income Subsidy Program is a commonsense step. It encourages the use of lower-cost, equally effective alternatives to expensive brand-name drugs—ultimately lowering overall healthcare costs. No senior should ever have to choose between buying groceries and affording their prescriptions. Eliminating these copayments will help ease that burden and ensure better access to essential care.”
The bipartisan Cutting Copays Act would eliminate all copays on generic drugs for seniors and people with disabilities on the Medicare Part D’s Low Income Subsidy (LIS) program, also known as Extra Help. Over 14 million Americans rely on the LIS program, including over 270,000 Kentuckians.
In addition to reducing costs for seniors, the bill incentivizes generic use instead of more expensive brand-name drugs.
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