As members of the Virginia General Assembly, we’re committed to solving the affordability crisis for our constituents. We come from different parties and different corners of the state — urban, rural and suburban — and something we hear across the commonwealth is that the cost of medicine is too high. Virginians often find themselves in dangerous situations, having to choose between the medicine they need and keeping a roof over their head or groceries on the table. Enough is enough. While we might not agree on every way to lower costs, we believe it’s time to finally tackle the high cost of medicine by passing the new, bipartisan Affordable Medicine Act, which establishes a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) and takes critical steps to make Virginia more affordable.
Over the years, legislation to establish a PDAB has grown in its bipartisan support both inside the General Assembly and across Virginia. Recent AARP polling shows a record 84% of Virginia voters support establishing a PDAB, up from 75% in 2023 when AARP last polled on the idea.
It’s clear to us, as legislators, that our constituents are eager for us to try to solve the problem of skyrocketing prescription prices. Why should we wait? When nearly 1 in 4 Virginians skip life-saving medicine because they’re not sure they can afford to refill their prescription, there’s no time to waste in finding a solution. Our constituents are not alone in their struggle to find affordable medicine; some of the most costly prescription drugs in Virginia treat type 1 diabetes and cancer, which are illnesses that have impacted our loved ones.
Pharmaceutical companies have spent over $400,000 to lobby against a PDAB in Virginia. Despite their best efforts, the legislation has continued to gain momentum across party lines. While Big Pharma would prefer a solution that doesn’t encroach on their skyrocketing profits, Virginians would prefer that they could afford both their life-saving medicine alongside other necessities each month.
The objective of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board is to lower the cost of medicine and empower Virginians with greater control over their treatment costs. The bill will set cost caps, known as Upper Payment Limits (UPLs), on certain prescription drugs that are expensive for no justified reason. The only party with no negotiating power in the prescription drug market is the patient, and this bill will protect patients with rare diseases and others who rely on lifesaving medicine, ensuring that those who need the medicine can actually afford to take it. UPLs set by the board will build upon the success of Medicare’s efforts to negotiate lower prices for Medicare enrollees for 25 drugs, negotiated under both the Biden and Trump administrations. The first 10 of these lower prices — negotiated to be between 38% and 79% lower than list prices — went into effect for Medicare enrollees on January 1, showing an effective pathway to lowering the cost of medicine that the Virginia PDAB will mirror. The bill directs cost savings back into consumers’ wallets, rather than a large corporation somewhere along the complicated prescription drug supply chain. The first UPL in the country, set by the Colorado board, will target Enbrel. In 2023, Coloradans spent over $83 million on Enbrel, a prescription drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and other conditions, and the UPL will save patients nearly $32 million.
The bottom line is, medicine can’t do its job if you can’t afford it. We encourage our colleagues in the General Assembly to unite behind our constituents and bring this bill to Governor-Elect Spanberger’s desk. We have the opportunity to lower the cost of medicine for all Virginians through the Affordable Medicine Act; let’s not waste it.
The writers are members of the General Assembly. Del. Karrie Delaney is a Democrat from Fairfax County. Sen. Creigh Deeds is a Democrat from Charlottesville. Del. Ellen McLaughlin is a Republican from Waynesboro. Sen. Bill Stanley is a Republican from Fairfax County.