The Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Regulation to Require Drug Pricing Transparency (CMS-4787-P). Medicare Rights is a national, nonprofit organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives. Medicare Rights provides services and resources to three million people with Medicare, family caregivers, and professionals each year.
While Medicare Rights appreciates the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) turning its attention to drug pricing, we feel this transparency proposal will have at best little effect, at worst significant negative effect, while making no progress in the real barrier to affordability—high prescription drug prices. People with Medicare struggle to afford drugs not because they are not smart shoppers but because drug prices are astronomical. No amount of savvy comparison shopping can make a $100,000 medication cost $10.
Any changes to the Medicare program must aim for healthier people, better care, and smarter spending—not paying more for less. As policymakers debate the future of health care, we will provide our insights here.
Thinking ahead to Medicare's future, it’s important to modernize benefits and pursue changes that improve how people with Medicare navigate their coverage on a daily basis. Here are our evolving 30 policy goals for Medicare’s future.
You can help protect and strengthen Medicare by taking action on the important issues we are following, subscribe to newsletter alerts, or follow along on social media. Any way you choose to get involved is a contribution that we appreciate greatly.
Comments: Drug Pricing Transparency
The Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Regulation to Require Drug Pricing Transparency (CMS-4787-P). Medicare Rights is a national, nonprofit organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives. Medicare Rights provides services and resources to three million people with Medicare, family caregivers, and professionals each year.
While Medicare Rights appreciates the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) turning its attention to drug pricing, we feel this transparency proposal will have at best little effect, at worst significant negative effect, while making no progress in the real barrier to affordability—high prescription drug prices. People with Medicare struggle to afford drugs not because they are not smart shoppers but because drug prices are astronomical. No amount of savvy comparison shopping can make a $100,000 medication cost $10.
Reference
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Any changes to the Medicare program must aim for healthier people, better care, and smarter spending—not paying more for less. As policymakers debate the future of health care, we will provide our insights here.
Thinking ahead to Medicare's future, it’s important to modernize benefits and pursue changes that improve how people with Medicare navigate their coverage on a daily basis. Here are our evolving 30 policy goals for Medicare’s future.
You can help protect and strengthen Medicare by taking action on the important issues we are following, subscribe to newsletter alerts, or follow along on social media. Any way you choose to get involved is a contribution that we appreciate greatly.