MANCHESTER, N.H. – Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) on Friday was joined by patients, consumers, Protect Our Care New Hampshire, Granite State Progress and healthcare providers at a roundtable discussion on healthcare costs at the Bridge Café in Manchester.
The discussion focused around talk of H.R.3, also known as the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a 230-192 vote on Thursday. The bill aims to establish a fair price negotiation program, limit price increases within Medicare and establish out-of-pocket maximums for Medicare Part D enrollees.
Pappas, one of the 106 co-sponsors of the H.R.3, also introduced a related bill, H.R 4661. Better known as the Advancing Enrollment and Reducing Drug Costs Act of 2019, H.R. 4661 seeks to automatically qualify certain Medicaid beneficiaries into premium and cost-sharing subsidies under Part D of the Medicare program.
“The stories I heard today continue to underscore how deeply personal the impacts of the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs are on our communities,” said Pappas. “As I have traveled throughout New Hampshire, I have heard countless stories just like these from Derry to Conway and everywhere in between about the need to lower prescription drug costs. These powerful and often heartbreaking testimonials highlight just how important the passage of H.R. 3 is for the lives of Granite State families and I am proud to support this historic legislation to drive down costs.”
In the New Hampshire’s First Congressional District, which stretches from Manchester out to the Seacoast and much of the Lakes Region, there are 94,720 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 514,858 people enrolled in private health insurance.
