John,

I’m deeply committed to making quality health care more affordable for all Maine people — and one step to getting there is lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

Whether it’s a retiree on a fixed income or a working family trying to make ends meet, these prices pose a serious challenge for people across our state.

As a matter of fact, one of the first bills I introduced as a Senator was the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act, to let the government do what any business owner does: negotiate bulk rate prices for large purchases. And last year we finally got this common sense idea across the finish line, when my colleagues and I passed the Inflation Reduction Act, to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and use those savings to deliver new Medicare benefits, like the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs coming in 2025.

And the good news is that it's starting to make a difference. At the beginning of this year, insulin copays were capped at $35/month, thanks to the bill we passed. Then last month, the Biden administration announced a historic step to start negotiating the price of ten prescription drugs covered by Medicare. It’s a great place to start, but I’m committed to doing even more.

Now, I’m working on a plan — The Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act, which would build on that progress and save taxpayers money by accelerating Medicare’s approach to negotiate drug prices.

The SMART Act would allow the HHS Secretary to:

• Start negotiating the prices of Medicare Part B drugs two years earlier,
• Increase the number of drugs that HHS must negotiate,
• Allow drugs to be eligible for negotiation five years after the FDA approves them, and
• Increase the amount of savings that Medicare can negotiate for

These common sense adjustments will not only keep the people of Maine healthier, but also save additional taxpayer dollars – sooner. I’m proud to have strong support for this bill, so we can continue working to deliver results and lower costs for Maine families and seniors.

Will you add your name below to show your support for our plan to lower prescription drug prices? I want you by my side as we get this done:

Patients and public health programs alike are paying high rates, and we need relief.

This is just one part of a bigger fight to bring down high drug prices that have been zooming up and crushing families for decades. And I won’t stop fighting until everyone is covered and no one goes broke paying a medical bill or filling a prescription.

Your support means the world to me as we work together to make life healthier and more affordable for Maine families.

Thanks for signing on today,

Angus