BETTER MEDICARE ALLIANCE STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DRUG PRICING PROPOSAL

Washington, D.C. – Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) President and CEO Allyson Y. Schwartz released the following statement in response to recent remarks by President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on prescription drug prices:

“BMA fully recognizes the importance of reducing drug prices and the impact of high drug prices on Medicare beneficiaries. We hear from beneficiaries every day how unpredictable, costly prices for prescription drugs they need threaten their health and economic security. Attention from the President and the Administration is a good first step.

Moving forward on solutions will require the engagement of stakeholders across the spectrum to ensure that proposed changes accomplish the goals of ensuring access to needed medications at a price beneficiaries can afford. Any proposals that result in shifting costs to beneficiaries will not be the right answer.

As an integrated system of care for Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare Advantage plans and providers offer high-quality. affordable coverage particularly for the sickest beneficiaries who are often experiencing multiple chronic conditions. High drug prices threaten access to needed medications critical to disease management and innovative care delivery in Medicare Advantage.

In the coming weeks we will continue to examine the Administration’s proposals to address this important issue. We look forward to working with other stakeholders and the Administration to ensure that solutions improve access to needed drugs at an affordable cost.”

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