CONGRESSMAN MORELLE VOTES TO STRENGTHEN HEALTHCARE AND LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS

(Washington, D.C.) – Yesterday, Congressman Joe Morelle (D, NY-25) voted to pass an omnibus bill aimed at strengthening healthcare. The legislation takes steps to lower the cost of prescription drugs, protect individuals with pre-existing conditions, crack down on short-term junk insurance plans, and make healthcare plans more affordable for everyday Americans.

"No American should be forced to ration life-saving medication because of the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs," said Rep. Morelle. "We need to act immediately to lower these outrageous costs and protect our most vulnerable populations, like those with pre-existing conditions, from being taken advantage of just so that pharmaceutical companies can increase their profits. I urge the Senate to join us in putting the health and well-being of families first by passing this much-needed legislation."

Last year, 24 percent of Americans didn't fill a prescription in the past year due to the high costs -- and an additional 19 percent of Americans said they skipped a dose or cut pills in half in the previous year because of high costs. This omnibus legislation, H.R. 987, includes seven bills aimed at reining in the soaring costs of healthcare, including provisions to:

• Enable more affordable generic prescription drugs to come to market sooner, thereby reducing drug prices for consumers;
• Reverse the Trump Administration's expansion of junk short-term, limited-duration insurance plans that discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions;
• Provide funding to states to set up their own state-based insurance marketplaces;
• Restore funding to the Navigator program, which provides critical assistance to underserved communities and helps enroll them in affordable coverage

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 987 would lower healthcare and prescription drug costs for consumers while saving taxpayers $97 million dollars.

###