The Dec. 27 op-ed “AARP has a conflict of interest when it comes to drug pricing legislation” reads like all the other opinions that Big Pharma and its enablers recycle.
For decades, millions of seniors across our country have been forced to pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. Many older Americans must decide between lifesaving medications and paying for other necessities, such as rent or food.
Congress moved one step closer to solving this issue when the House passed the Build Back Better Act, which would finally allow Medicare to negotiate the prices it pays for some prescription drugs. In every other market, buyers and sellers negotiate, and bigger buyers use their buying power to get what amounts to a bulk discount. But Big Pharma has had its handcuffs on Medicare for well over a decade and that must change.
Blocking change hurts seniors, everyone who pays into health insurance and taxpayers — since we all bear the costs of today’s out-of-control drug prices through higher premiums, cost-sharing and taxes.
Here is the truth: The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says reform would result in one less new drug out of hundreds over the next decade; meanwhile, millions of seniors would have more affordable access. Medicines work only if patients can afford them.
AARP will keep fighting, and we won’t stop until we lower drug prices.
— John Hishta, senior vice president of campaigns, AARP
Writer’s conflict of interest
The op-ed by Terry Wilcox of the nonprofit Patients Rising, regarding AARP’s apparent conflict of interest in having policy positions on things it makes money from, is fair. However, the Patients Rising group, according to a July 2016 USA Today article, is funded by corporate drugmakers and their policy front groups, and it seems as they are not the ones to speak on this issue.
— Warren Conatser Echevarria, Chicago
New York’s NYE crystal ball
While watching the final preparation of the New Year’s Eve Waterford crystal ball in New York, I realized that this ball, of all the years, should be an interpretation of the coronavirus, complete with crystal spikes and flashing colored lights inside. The folks at Waterford sure missed the boat!
Will somebody please at least draw the cartoon of this? Is the “Weekend Update” segment of “Saturday Night Live” listening?
— Jean SmilingCoyote, Chicago
Worried about Putin
One paranoid person could end human existence. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s shame at the collapse of the Soviet Union could lead to a Ukraine invasion resulting in World War III. Human-ending, nuclear war. We’ve seen the awful power of one.
God help us.
— Richard Nolan, Park Ridge
Manchin’s gift to Biden
Just wondering. Did U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin send President Joe Biden a lump of West Virginia coal for a Christmas present?
— Dale Kriesel, Palatine
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