New Connecticut Laws Tackle Rx Costs, Other Expenses

Margaret Lewis’ 30-year career in marketing came to an abrupt end when she suffered a stroke at age 54, paralyzing her on the left side.

Her debilitating injury, which occurred in 2015, came with another shock: the high cost of the medications she suddenly needed. Even though Lewis had good health insurance, a three-month supply of one drug cost her $3,000 out of pocket.

“It was like having another mortgage payment,” she says. “It was shocking.”

Lewis, now a 65-year-old resident of Stratford, was one of AARP Connecticut’s key advocacy volunteers this year, working in Hartford to win passage of a new bill aimed at lowering prescription drug costs.

It was among several new AARP-backed laws that passed in the 2025 legislative session, which ended in June. Other measures also addressed pocketbook issues, including utility costs and hidden fees that companies often tack on to customer bills.

The new drug law, which passed with bipartisan support, makes three key changes:

• It allows people to count drug purchases made through discount programs, such as GoodRx, toward their insurance deductible.
• It enables the state to negotiate lower prices by allowing combined, bulk purchasing of prescription drugs among all agencies, from the prison system to state employee health plans.
• It authorizes state officials to study — and craft a plan — to buy less expensive prescription drugs from wholesalers in Canada.

Prescription drugs in the U.S. cost nearly three times as much as those in 33 comparable countries; they are more than twice as expensive as in Canada, according to a 2024 federal report. That’s mostly because Canada negotiates prices with drug companies on a large scale.

Ten other states — including Colorado, Maine and New Mexico — have passed laws directing the state to establish a drug importation program or to study the idea, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures and AARP.

Nora Duncan, AARP Connecticut’s state director, says the new prescription drug law is vital to older residents across the state.

“They’re cutting pills in half, or they are skipping doses, because they are trying to stretch out a prescription to make it last so they can afford it,” she says.

The legislation passed two minutes before midnight on the last day of the session. The final vote in the state House was 142 to 5; in the Senate, it passed 32 to 4.

Lewis, who testified in favor of the bill and distributed AARP flyers to lawmakers on the issue, was thrilled — and proud of the part she played on an issue that could have a dramatic impact on other older adults across the state.

She says she was fortunate enough to be able to pay for her stroke medications. But she notes that many older people are already struggling financially.

“People who have very serious diseases like Parkinson’s or cancer have really hard choices,” she says. “It’s heartbreaking.”

KEEPING COSTS DOWN

John Erlingheuser, AARP Connecticut’s senior associate state director for advocacy and outreach, says AARP also supported a bill to require companies to disclose the total price of goods and services in their advertisements (except for taxes) and make it easier for people to cancel subscriptions.

Hidden or “junk” fees can include any surprise charges or add-ons for anything from cable bills to concert tickets.

“Junk fees can be incredibly frustrating and misleading for consumers,” Erlingheuser says. The additional transparency will allow people to know “exactly what they’re paying for.”

As for utility costs, AARP helped block two proposed provisions that could have left older adults and people with disabilities struggling to keep their electricity on.

One proposal would have shortened the period in winter when utility companies are barred from shutting off people’s service for lack of payment. Another would have set new rules for peak and off-peak rates, leading to higher bills for people who need to run medical devices all day. Instead of being enacted, those provisions will be studied by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

“Vulnerable folks are being protected,” Duncan says.

At the same time, she notes, the Legislature passed an AARP-backed bill that will lower the amount consumers pay for the “public benefits” portion of their electricity bill. That charge helps fund energy-efficiency programs and other related state policies. Duncan says that will help the vast majority of Connecticut residents.

“These are pocketbook issues for lots of people,” she says. ■

Cristina Rouvalis, a writer based in Pennsylvania, covers business, health care and other issues. She has written for the Bulletin for more than a decade.

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