This week, Congress is closing in on a final deal for the Build Back Better package. One of THE most popular ideas on the table in these deliberations is directing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for all of us, and then using those savings to expand Medicare to include coverage of dental, vision, and hearing services, something that has LONG been needed.
Current media reports are that this idea may either be set aside altogether, or replaced with meaningless ‘window dressing” that won’t lower drug prices much or provide robust benefits that people on Medicare desperately need. We cannot let either happen!
Now is the time that we need ALL of our health care champions in the House to weigh-in with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to demand that strong Rx drug price negotiation with Medicare expansion is included in the final Build Back Better package, and to reject any fake alternatives. Fortunately, the Congressional Progressive Caucus is leading the charge for us, and its NYC-area members include:
- Jamaal Bowman (NY-16, Bronx and Westchester) — 718-530-7710
- Yvette Clarke (NY-9, Brooklyn) — 718-287-1142
- Adriano Espaillat (NY-13, Manhattan and Bronx) — 212-663-3900
- Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8, Brooklyn) — 718-237-2211
- Mondaire Jones (NY-17, Rockland and Westchester) — 914-323-5550
- Carolyn Maloney (NY-12, Manhattan) — 212-860-0606
- Grace Meng (NY-6, Queens) — 718-445-7860
- Jerry Nadler (NY-10, Manhattan) — 212-367-7350
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14, Bronx and Queens) — 718-662-5970
- Ritchie Torres (NY-15, Bronx) — 718-503-9610
- Nydia Velazquez (NY-7, Brooklyn) — 718-599-3658
We urge you to contact these offices to thank them for their efforts and to urge them to keep fighting for Congress to “do the right thing.”
We also need our Sen. Charles Schumer to stay strong to do all he can as Majority Leader to reject phony reforms and achieve strong drug price negotiations and meaningful Medicare improvements. We know he is in support, and it’s important to let him know “we’ve got your back!” (212-486-4430) Ditto for Sen. Gillibrand (212-688-6262).
Finally, one of the few holdouts is Rep. Kathleen Rice (NY-4, Nassau) So far, she has opposed vigorous drug price negotiations and is instead pushing very weak measures. We urge people to contact her office by phone (516-739-3008) and social media (@RepKathleenRice) to urge that she fight for what everyday New Yorkers need instead of succumbing to industry pressure and supporting phony ideas.