Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Let Medicare negotiate prices

I am mystified as to why Republicans in Congress are fighting to prevent Medicare from negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Insurance companies that handle Medicare Advantage Plans have been negotiating prices for years, so why not let Medicare to do it directly?

Most seniors would more than welcome lower drug prices that would be negotiated by Medicare. We are paying more for pharmaceuticals than anywhere else in the world. It would be interesting to see which members of Congress receive large campaign contributions from big pharmaceutical companies.

I doubt the prices will come down by any other means than direct negotiations with Medicare. One drug I need would cost me $1,800 a month, so I have had to find it outside of the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. I could go to Canada and get it for $135 a month.

Call your congressional representative and tell them to let Medicare negotiate with pharmaceutical companies.