Budget reconciliation plan could lower Rx prices for Ohioans

<p><strong>Mary Schuermann Kuhlman</strong></p> <p><strong>Ohio News Connection</strong></p> <p>Congress has an opportunity to help lower prescription-drug costs for Ohioans, who, along with other Americans pay roughly three times as much for the same medications as people in other countries.<br> <br> <a href="https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/politics/advocacy/2021/07/oh-high-rx-prices-state-one-pager.pdf">The average annual cost of prescription drugs increased 26% between 2015 and 2019, while the average income for Ohioans rose only 14%.</a><br> <br> Mindi Patterson of Dayton says her 48-year-old sister-in-law paid more than $800 a month for insulin to manage her Type 1 diabetes. After losing her job and health insurance in December 2018, she turned to an over-the-counter insulin.<br> <br> "She purchased that as a last-ditch effort to make it to the 26th when she got her last paycheck where she would be able to afford her medication," said Patterson. "On Christmas morning, she passed away. She went into diabetic ketoacidosis from rationing her insulin."<br> <br> <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376/text">The budget reconciliation package</a> being debated in Congress would allow the federal government to negotiate prescription-drug prices for people on Medicare and private insurance.<br> <br> Drug companies argue it would hamper the development of new medications. But polling found that most Americans believe pharmaceutical companies still would make enough money to invest in research even if prices were lower.<br> <br> Cincinnati-area state Rep. Brigid Kelly - D-31st - said there is broad support for federal action to address rising prescription-drug prices.<br> <br> "<a href="https://www.kff.org/health-costs/poll-finding/public-weighs-in-on-medicare-drug-negotiations/">More than nine in 10 Americans support giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices</a>," said Kelly. "That means it's supported by Democrats, that means it's supported by Independents, that