Following the news this morning of the contents of the Biden Administration’s American Families Plan, Margarida Jorge, campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now, issued the following statement in response to the plan leaving out language to lower prescription drug prices:

The Biden Administration and congressional Democrats have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help the millions of Americans still forced to choose between basic necessities and the prescription medicines they need to live healthy lives. While the American Families Plan includes investments that directly respond to the urgent needs of millions of families, the proposal is incomplete without long-overdue measures to make prescription drugs more affordable for every person, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have in their bank account. Lowering drug prices for seniors, people with disabilities, and patients struggling to afford everything from insulin to cancer medications is a top healthcare priority for millions of Americans who can’t wait anymore for accessible life-saving medicines.

The Lower Drug Costs Now Act, recently reintroduced in the House, would allow Medicare to directly negotiate prices on behalf of beneficiaries for the first time, saving taxpayers more than $450 billion. These savings could support the Administration’s efforts to rebuild our economy, make healthcare more affordable, create jobs and increase accountability for taxpayer investments in new medicines and treatments. Drug corporations would also no longer be able to charge seniors and families more for drugs in the United States than people in other countries pay for that same drug.

President Biden has repeatedly affirmed his commitment to lowering drug prices as part of making healthcare affordable for everyone. The time to act on that promise is now, by including the Lower Drug Costs Now Act in the American Families Plan.