Washington, DC (July 26, 2022) — National Hispanic Council on Aging has released the following statement in response to Congress pursuing destructive drug pricing reforms in its reconciliation package.
“Millions of older adult Hispanics rely on the access, choices, and treatments provided to them through Medicare Part D. Government interference in Medicare’s drug price negotiations between insurers and manufacturers mean fewer medications would be available to patients that need them. Every individual seeking treatment deserves an individualized approach, yet in this reconciliation bill, Congress is opting for cookie-cutter treatments against the best interest of seniors.
The proposals in this reconciliation language fail to recognize some of the fundamental healthcare issues seniors face. Older Hispanics, for example, have serious challenges, including access to affordable insulin and coverage for chronic conditions. If Congress were serious about helping Medicare beneficiaries, these would be some of the top issues to address. Helping seniors by instituting co-pay caps and guaranteeing coverage for chronically ill individuals grants them health security. It also lends a hand in the fight against obesity, diabetes, and other problems facing Hispanic communities.
NHCOA strongly opposes this reconciliation bill and urges Congress to preserve Medicare Part D’s non-interference clause. Older Hispanics deserve a wide range of treatments and need their representatives to address real issues. With the economy teetering on the edge of recession, disrupting Medicare part D while ignoring concrete challenges in our communities would be a true failure of leadership”.
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