The Federation of American Hospitals joined 16 other groups in sending a letter to Congressional leaders today urging them to preserve the actions taken in the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018 to protect seniors and taxpayers from out-of-control drug prices during the upcoming lame duck session of Congress.

As Bloomberg News reported, drug manufacturers are already lobbying Congress to undo these important, cost-saving protections. 

The letter states, “It is critical that Congress keep in place the important policies enacted in the BBA that help lower high out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, particularly for those facing the highest cost burdens. As such, we urge you to stand with Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers to resist any attempts from the pharmaceutical industry to undo these critical reforms during the lame duck session.”

It continues, “Prescription drug prices will continue to increase at unsustainable rates unless Congress holds the pharmaceutical industry accountable for putting profits before people. Conversely, agreeing to a bailout for the pharmaceutical industry – at the expense of patients and taxpayers – during the lame duck session will send the exact opposite message, particularly at a time when drug prices remain needlessly high and unaffordable for too many patients.”

You can find the complete letter here.

Groups signing the letter included FAH, AHA, the Campaign for Sustain Rx Pricing, Families USA, the Medicare Rights Center and a number of health insurer and physician associations.