b'POLITICSDont Let Big Pharma Keep Hurting UsFor I am with you, and no one is going to attacktion drugs are very or somewhat unaffordable.eral critical reforms that would help lower prescrip-and harm you, because I have many people in thisTo truly tackle the root causes of the problem, wetion drug prices and hold drug makers accountable city. need our elected officials in Washington to stay trueasamemberoftheSenateFinanceCommittee.Acts 18:10, NIV totheircampaignpromisesanddeliversolutionsThese reforms include capping out-of-pocket costs thatwilllowerdrugpricesandholdBigPharmafor seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, requiring By Maya Wheeler, MHA accountable. drugmanufacturerstokeep Thedrugindustrysbehav- pricehikesbelowtherateof iorduringthepandemicsaysinflation to remain covered by O ver the last year, we have continued to see bigalotabouttruepriorities.taxpayersandrequiringBig pharmaceuticalcompaniesexploitthepoor.WhileColoradanswerebat- Pharmatomarkedlyreduce EvenwithsomanyAmericanslosingtheirjobs,tlingCOVID-19,BigPharmathecostsoftheirdrugs,by homes,andlivesbigpharmacontinuestoraisecontinued the industrys price- requiring them to accept a con-drug prices.We all know someone who has beenhikingbehavior,increasingsequential share of liability in harmed by these price hikes:pricesonnearly900brandthe catastrophic phase of cov- Your mother, father, aunt, and etc. whose out ofname prescription medicationserage. pocket drug costs keep rising. during the public health crisis.Recent polling found 80 per- YourneighborwhohascancerwhocannotComingoutofadeadlypan- centofAmericanvoterssup-afford the costs of life savings drug ordemic, with Big Pharmas priceport these polices and 86 per-hikescontinuingtorunram- cent of voters think it is urgentFolks like me who suffer from diabetes. pant, the need for prescriptionfor Congress to pass solutions drug pricing reform has neverto hold brand name drug man-Black and brown communities have been hit hardbeen clearer. ufacturers accountable. by these price increases.We need relief now!The momentum is headed inTheseissueshavegarnered Wesufferhigherratesofdiabetesandchronictherightdirection.Presidentbipartisan support in the past diseasethatrequiremanagementwithregularBiden called on lawmakers toand would be effective in low-doses of prescription medication. Oftentimes, peo- make drug pricing a priority inMaya Wheeler ering drug prices for Colorado ple we know are locked into needing specific pre- his 2022 White House Budgetpatientswhoneeditmost. scriptiondrugstostayaliveandforcedtopayandrecentinvestigationsonWithDemocratsincharge outrageous prices that consistently go up wheneverCapitol Hill have revealed someofCongressandtheWhite brandnamedrugmakersdecidetoincreasetheof the extent of Big Pharmas egregious actions.House, our party can and should get these critical price. And despite Governor Polis and the ColoradoA January report from the U.S. Senate Committeesolutions passed. Failure to address this issue in Legislaturehavingtakenstepstoaddressthison Financeof which Colorado Senator Bennet is2021 will hurt Democrats at the polls in 2022.issue, a recent study found that more than 35 per- amemberfoundthatthethreelargestinsulinNow, more than ever we need action to reign in cent of Coloradans still report the cost of prescrip- producers in the U.S., who control nearly 99 per- the price-gouging behavior of Big Pharma. cent of the market, have worked inSenatorBennetandSenatorHickenloopercan lockstep to increase prices on theirhelp ensure no Coloradan ever faces the unconscio-drugsalmostsimultaneously,inanable choice again of having to pay for their pre-practice known as shadow-pricing.scription drugs or put food on their familys table The practice ensures patients tak- or pay a utility bill or rent. They can help achieve ing insulin all end up paying moregreaterequityforColoradocommunitiesofcolor around the same time, prohibitingby holding powerful brand name drug companies themfromswitchingtoacheaperaccountable.alternative.ThisdirectlyimpactsdiabeticsThe time is now for critical drug pricing reforms likeme,whoneedinsulintosur- that will deliver relief and crack down on the price-vive.hiking behavior of Big Pharma.Call Sen Bennett (202-224-3121) and Hickenlooper (202) 224-5941) BothSenatorsfromColoradoand urge them to stop the harm being done to you have been right to make this issueand me by Big Pharma!a priority but must continue to doMayaWheeleristheexecutivedirectorofthe sohowevernowisthetimeforAfricanChamberofCommerceinColoradoand legislationtobepassedintolaw.past chair of the African American Initiative of the Senator Hickenlooper made it a keyColoradoDemocraticPartyandColoradoBlack pointonthecampaigntrail,andWomen for Political Action.SenatorBennethasvotedforsev-People we know are locked into needing specific prescription drugs to stay aliveand forced to pay outrageous prices that consistently go up whenever brand name drug makers decide to increase the price.8 JULY 2021 BOCNEWS.com'