Prescription Drug Prices Need Our Help
A free public service for a better community
A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
If there are subjects you’d like to see or improvements made, please let me know using the comment button below. I’m still grieving the election but giving the AI generated kittens and puppies a nap.
Videos of these newsletters appear on Youtube on this channel. Let me know what you think.
Pharmaceutical Patent Abuse
Pharmaceutical companies are manipulating the patent system to keep cheaper generic drugs from entering the market. The result is high prices for us and bigger profits for them.
But right now, a package of bills is headed to Congress that would inject more competition into the market and bring down costs.
Three out of ten Americans say they've skipped taking their prescribed medication because it's too expensive. Even those who can afford their medications are often paying more than we should, this according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Here are the bills we need passed.:
H.R. 9070/S. 150, the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2023.
H.R. 1717/S. 79, the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2023,
S. 142, the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act, and
S. 148, Stop STALLING Act.
Here's what these bills would help accomplish:
Address over-patenting of drugs, known as patent thickets, when brand companies file for dozens of patents on a single drug to prevent generic drug competitors from coming to market.
Prohibit pay-for-delay, when brand name drug companies compensate generic drug companies and product manufacturers, in order to delay the entry of generic drugs and biosimilar products into the market.
Enable the Federal Trade Commission to deter filing of sham citizen petitions, often used to interfere with approval of a competing generic drug or biosimilar product. This would foster greater drug price competition.
Establish a task force to facilitate sharing information and technical assistance between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Food and Drug Administration.
This package of bills could reduce the cost of prescription drugs. For some, that would be life-saving. For all of us, it would be a big step in the right direction.
ACTION
Click here to send a message to your representative in Congress telling them to vote yes on these bills.
Abortion News
Ok. This one is no surprise. According to the Washington Post, women are seeking out abortion medication in higher-than-usual numbers ahead of a Donald Trump presidency that they fear could severely curtail access to reproductive care. Aid Access, one of the largest suppliers of abortion pills, reported receiving 10,000 requests for the medication in the 24 hours after the election was called for the Republican nominee early Wednesday — roughly 17 times the 600 that the organization typically gets in a day.
Forewarned is forearmed.
Learn About Active Shooter Drills
They affect everyone involved. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine are hosting two new seminars on the subject. If this is an area of interest for you here are the registration details for seminars 6 and 7.
Seminar 6 concerns how the drills affect linguistically diverse populations. It will be held Monday, November 18 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET Active Shooter Drills: Considerations for Linguistically Diverse Students
Seminar 7 is Monday, November 18 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET and concerns Parent and Family Perspectives on the Impact of Active Shooter Drills and Other School Security Measures
Uninsured Americans
The share of Americans lacking health insurance has remained largely steady in recent years, but questions remain about the future. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Friday shows 7.6% of Americans, or 25.3 million people, lacked health insurance during the time of data collection from April to June. Although the rate represents a 0.4 percentage point increase from the year-ago period, it is consistent with 2023's full-year uninsured rate — a historic annual low.
P.S. this number will rise dramatically if Congress neglects to extend the Inflation Reduction Act subsidies next year (for 2026).
It is beyond me how so many people can vote against their own self interest. That bump bump bump you hear is Adam Smith is spinning like a rotisserie chicken in his grave.
ACTION
If you haven’t done it yet you can send this message to Congress asking them to continue the Inflation Reduction Act’s Affordable Care Act subsidies next year. On your cell phone text SIGN PLUJJK to 50409 (RESISTBOT).
Here’s that message in case you want to call them. You can reach your reps here, https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
“I am your constituent and I want you to know that IRA improved ACA subsidies will expire next year unless you act. This will leave at least 25 million of us in serious trouble. According to an analysis by the Center for American Progress, 20 million will have serious premium increases in 2026 and 5 million won’t be able to afford insurance at all. Of course, all of these people are unable to get Medicaid. Look, the real answer is Universal Healthcare which saves the US a minimum of $400 billion every year, according to the CBO. Until you pass that tens of millions of us will need help paying ACA premiums. I want you to extend the ACA premium subsidies in place now, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and help your constituents who need help. Thank you Here is a link to the article I mentioned, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/what-to-know-ahead-of-2025-affordable-care-act-open-enrollment/”
RESOURCES
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All
Physicians for a National Health Program
One Payer States
Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
Thanks for reading Healthcare Advocacy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts