PoliticsBills Would Lower Healthcare Costs, Protect Clients from Drug...

Bills Would Lower Healthcare Costs, Protect Clients from Drug Price-Gouging

-

- Advertisment -sslate

Maine lawmakers are pushing a package of bills they call “Making Healthcare Work for Maine,” which includes bills to lower costs and protect people from drug-price hikes.

Sabrina Burbeck, a hospital screener from Old Town, whose son and brother live with Type One diabetes, said nobody should have to worry about losing their loved ones because their medication prices spike overnight.

Burbeck remembered her parents struggling to pay for her brother’s insulin, and in adulthood, he now struggles to cover the cost.

“He had to change what kind of insulin he takes based on costs, and has even resorted to rationing vials of insulin when he is in a pinch,” Burbeck observed. “No one should have to live like this or make choices like this. This is not the life that I want for my son.”

She joined bill sponsors at a news conference about the package.

It includes Legislative Document 120, to establish an Office of Affordable Healthcare to identify what’s driving high prices and make recommendations; and Legislative Document 675, which would protect consumers from price increases not supported by clinical evidence.

Susan Kinney, from Kennebec County, has a daughter with Crohn’s disease, who takes Remicade, an expensive drug that has seen steady price increases over the years.

The focus of a new federal COVID relief package has now shifted to the U.S. Senate.

Her daughter recently enrolled in a prescription drug patient-assistance program, but she worries about the future.

“Remicade was approved for Crohn’s in 1998,” Kinney noted. “There is no reason for the continual increase in price.”

GOP lawmakers are reserving judgment on the package for now, saying it’s too early to tell what passing the bills would cost the state.

Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Fort Kent, Senate President and the bill’s sponsor, pointed to surveys that show before the pandemic, one in seven Mainers reported skipping treatment or care because costs were too high.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse,” Jackson contended. “In the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, pharmaceutical companies have continued to raise the price of life-saving medication.”

He added the costs are a nationwide crisis, and argued Mainers deserve the right to receive healthcare and purchase their prescription medications without breaking the bank.

Sunshine Slate
Sunshine Slatehttps://www.sunshineslate.com
Sunshine Slate is your news, entertainment, music fashion website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the United States of America.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest news

Top 4 AC Features you Need in 2023

In this article, we'll explore the top 4 AC features you need in 2023, with a particular focus on Hitachi Cooling & Heating

From Raw Material to Masterpiece: The Process of Steel Fabrication

Steel fabrication is the process of turning raw steel into finished goods. Globally, the steel fabrication business is important to many nations' economies.

Not just aNYplace: SS23 Campaign at GANT.com

This spring, GANT invited a cast of creatives to show how their unique style channels the chaos and coolness of New York City.

Black, Male, Blood type A: New review identifies risk factors for Pancreatic Cancer

Smoking, gender, ethnicity, and even gum disease and blood type can be risk factors of pancreatic cancer, reveals new insights
- Advertisement -

Florida Group Works to Keep Eligible People on Medicaid

Public health emergency and returns its Medicaid program to pre-pandemic rules, a possibility that older people could lose their coverage

Could Legislation Targeting Public-Sector Unions Threaten Academic Freedom?

Union leaders and public-sector workers say bills advancing in the Florida Legislature, if passed, will strip them of their representation
edealo.com
- Advertisement - Motel 6
transformerscon

Must read

8 Reasons to Use Bidet Converter Kit

Overall, bidet converter kits offer a range of benefits for personal hygiene, environmental sustainability, and overall health and well-being. If you're considering making the switch from traditional toilet paper, a bidet converter kit may be a great option to explore.

5 Best Hair Treatment Salon in Dubai You Feel Excited to Visit

They get to explore new places while looking their stunning best. If you are a foreigner looking to visit Dubai or are a local who wants top-quality hair treatment, then keep reading. Why? Well, we are going to list the best hair treatment salons in Dubai.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -sslate

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you