AARP: Pressure building on Illinois Senate to allow vote on bill to stop drug price-gouging

Springfield, Ill. – As key legislation to stop generic prescription-drug price-gouging appears stalled in the state Senate, pressure is growing on Senate leaders to allow a fast up-or-down vote on the bill.

“Only days remain in the 2018 legislative session for Illinois Senate leaders to stop stalling the progress of this legislation,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois state director.  “With national news shining a glaring light on how generic prescription-drug price-gouging is ripping off  Illinois families, local governments and state taxpayers, now is the time to stop slow-walking this bill.”

“We’re asking Illinoisans to call 1-844-226-1189 and ask Senate President John Cullerton to schedule an immediate up-or-down vote on this bill,” Gallo said.

On May 6, the CBS News broadcast magazine “60 Minutes” aired “ The Rockford File,” a devastating look  at how generic prescription-drug price-gouging is wrecking the budget of the city government of Rockford, Ill.  The city has sued a drug company and its pharmaceutical benefits management company over stratospheric price increases in a generic prescription drug that protects children from seizures.

CBS News said the city experienced a 100,000 percent increase in prescription drug costs for a generic medication for infant seizures introduced in 1962. City officials have said the resulting drug costs wrecked the city budget.

On April 19, the Illinois House voted 65-38 in a bipartisan vote to reduce such price gouging by sending HB 4900 to the state Senate. The legislation would require generic prescription-drug companies to justify price increases above specified thresholds to the state Attorney General.

The legislation would allow companies to raise prices by a generous 30 percent the first year, 50 percent over two years and 75 percent over three years. The legislation applies only to generic drugs, for which drug companies need not invest in costly research and development and for which patents are no longer in effect.

Companies could raise prices above those thresholds if they could justify the price increases to the state Attorney General.

However, the legislation is stuck in a Senate subcommittee and no hearings have been set for a vote. With only days left in the 2018 legislative session, AARP Illinois is asking Senate leaders to allow and up-or-down vote on the bill.

AARP Illinois has notified legislators that it will share legislators’ votes on the bill with its 1.6 million members before the 2018 election.