During the first Senate Aging committee hearing of the 119th Congress, Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted the health and financial benefits of his successful efforts to cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors, which went into effect earlier this year
Senator Reverend Warnock also focused on how cuts to Medicaid could impact access to home and community-based services
Senator Reverend Warnock: “I’ve been laser-focused on reducing prescription drug costs and improving access to healthcare”
Watch video of Senator Reverend Warnock’s questioning at the Senate Aging committee hearing HERE
Washington, D.C. – During the first Senate Aging committee hearing of the 119th Congress, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) highlighted his successful efforts to cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors, which went into effect earlier this year. As a veteran member of the Senate Aging committee, Senator Warnock has worked to bring down prescription drug costs so that America’s seniors aren’t forced to choose between life-saving medication and other basic needs.
“I’ve been laser-focused on reducing prescription drug costs and improving access to health care,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
During the hearing, Senator Warnock also addressed how Republican-proposed cuts to Medicaid could negatively impact home-and-community-based services.
“Medicaid provides coverage for home and community-based services that allow older adults and people with disabilities to receive the care that they need from the comfort of their home without going broke paying for it,” continued Senator Reverend Warnock.
Senator Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. In the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Warnock secured two of his proposals in the law capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare patients and capping the cost of prescription drugs for seniors at $2,000 a year. The Senator also pushed for solutions to close the coverage gap. Last year, Senator Warnock introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act, legislation to expand the cap of annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families. Senator Warnock remains committed to preserving and protecting access to health care for all Georgians.
Watch the Senator’s full remarks and line of questioning HERE.
See below a transcript of key exchanges between Senator Warnock the Aging Committee witnesses.
Senator Reverend Warnock: “Far too many seniors are struggling with high out-of-pocket costs for medications that they need to live. And that’s why I’ve been laser-focused on reducing prescription drug costs and improving access to health care.
SRW: “I can tell you as a pastor that I’ve seen the impact that this [high prescription drug costs] has on the lives of ordinary people, I’ve seen it up close.
SRW: “Dr. Hughes, how does lowering out-of-pocket prescription drug costs actually help seniors who live on a fixed income? I think in government we talk about these things in theoretical terms, but give us a clear picture of the human impact of this.”
Dr. Susan Hughes: “We all depend on prescription drugs, prescription drugs have almost replaced regular and routine medical care, in terms of their live-saving and health maintenance effects, these are lifelines.
DSH: “For people, because of income constraints, unable to get a medication renewed or having to make a choice between rent, food, something else, or a needed medication, that shouldn’t happen. It shouldn’t happen to older adults, it shouldn’t happen in the United States of America.”
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