$33,729​ for a Life-Saving Prescription Drug

$33,729 a year.

That’s the price tag Andy Weir of Hampstead faced for a life-saving prescription drug to treat the stage four chronic lymphocytic leukemia he had been battling on and off for the last 17 years.

When Andy’s doctor told him about an innovative new drug that he could take three times a day for the rest of his life — avoiding chemotherapy and gaining the opportunity to lead a healthy, productive life — he was thrilled. However, as Andy shared at a press conference last week in Nashua, his excitement about the new drug quickly dwindled when he found out what his out-of-pocket costs for the prescription would be.

Because Andy had switched from private insurance to Medicare, he would have been forced to pay $7,348.25 for his first month of the prescription drug, and $2,398.25 each month after, totaling $33,729 a year for the rest of his life. Andy faced what is called the coverage gap, or “donut hole,” which Medicare patients experience due to a temporary limit on what the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan will cover for prescription drugs.

Andy, like many other seniors, individuals, and families throughout the Granite State and across the nation, went through what no one should ever have to experience: facing the decision of whether to get critical prescription drugs at the risk of a significant financial burden on his family.

As Andy’s story demonstrates, the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs can be devastating, and it is a major reason health insurance costs are rising for seniors, families, and businesses.

It is long past time for Congress to address this issue, which is why I am cosponsoring the Improving Access to Prescription Drugs Act. This bill would increase transparency for pharmaceutical companies; promote affordability for everyday Americans like Andy; spark innovation, so that more drugs like the one Andy’s oncologist presented to him can come to market; and enhance competition and choice.

The Improving Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act is an important, multi-pronged proposal that would help the millions of Americans, like Andy, who have struggled to afford their prescription drugs. The bill allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs to bring down the costs for seniors, and it would accelerate the closing of the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap (also known as the “donut hole”). The bill would also allow for the importation of affordable, safe drugs from Canada.

Andy is set to begin chemotherapy soon, his only affordable treatment option under Medicare. I commend Andy for speaking out about his experience and wish him well as he moves forward with treatment.

We need to stand up for Granite Staters like Andy. I am ready to work with anyone — from either party — who is serious about bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to come together and support the Improving Access to Prescription Drugs Act. Together, we can help ensure that all Americans have access to the care that they need to lead healthy and productive lives.