AARP Washington Leaders Call on Congress to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

For Immediate Release
September 24, 2019

Contacts:
Jason Erskine / 206-604-7085
Cathy MacCaul / 206-218-5915

AARP Washington Leaders Call on Congress to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Washington State – Today, AARP Washington joined dozens of AARP state directors and volunteers from across the country in Washington, D.C., to urge federal lawmakers to pass legislation to lower prescription drug prices.

“The average annual cost of prescription drug treatment increased 57.8% between 2012 and 2017, while the annual income for Washingtonians only increased 9.9%,” said AARP State Director Doug Shadel. “We're calling on Washington State’s senators and members of Congress to enact popular, bipartisan, commonsense solutions that will provide long overdue relief not just for older adults, but all Americans. It’s time to address the root cause of the problem: the outrageously high list prices set by drug manufacturers.”

Leaders from 33 AARP state offices are meeting with lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, including Senators Maria Cantwell (D) and Patty Murray (D), Representatives Suzan DelBene (D-1) and Kim Schrier (D-8), and staff from the offices of Representatives Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-5) and Jamie Hererra Beutler (R-3). AARP urged their support for federal legislation to lower drug prices, and said four principles need to be included in any bill: a cap on out-of-pocket costs for seniors, a crackdown on drug prices and price increases, an increase in competition, and greater transparency.

In addition, AARP Washington is pursuing a range of state legislative and policy reforms to address the high price of prescription drugs, including measures on importation, price transparency and bulk purchasing.

To learn more about AARP’s state and federal efforts to lower prescription drug prices, visit www.aarp.org/rx.

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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.