Right now, the Legislature is considering a package of vital and common sense bills that will work to rein in rising drug prices and assure that all Mainers have access to affordable prescription drugs.

The truth is:

• Prescription drug prices have increased 10X faster than the rate of inflation for the most commonly used drugs by seniors

• Mainers spent more than $165 Million over the previous year on 25 drugs with the highest increases.

• 3 out of 4 Mainers are concerned about the high cost and want policies to address these issues.

• Some have to choose between buying medicine or paying for food and/or rent.

Americans shouldn’t have to pay the highest prices in the world for the medicines they need. I want to highlight two specific bills that will help get at high prescription drug prices. L.D. 1117 will prevent price gouging of generic and off-patent drugs. L.D. 675 penalizes drug manufacturers who increase drug prices without sufficient evidence to justify the increases.

You can help advocate for lowering drug prices by calling your local legislators and getting their support on these drug prescription bills today. The time to act is now.

Sammee Quong

Augusta