Durbin Joins Health Care Leaders To Discuss Cost Of Prescription Drugs And Republican Cuts To Medicaid
SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined health leaders at Springfield Memorial Hospital to highlight efforts to address high prescription drug prices, and how health insurance coverage for nearly 14 million Americans is at risk because of Republican plans to provide tax breaks for billionaires.
Americans are paying the highest prices for prescriptions in the world. In addition to unjustifiable pricing and anticompetitive tactics by pharmaceutical manufacturers, this is partly due to Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), who control the flow of prescriptions for 200 million Americans. PBMs abuse rebates and fees to manipulate their formularies, ensuring they, not doctors, often decide which drugs patients receive.
President Trump’s recent executive order on Big Pharma does little to address the issue of high drug costs, unlike the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed during the Biden Administration and capped costs for covered insulin at $35 per month under Medicare, made recommended vaccines available at no costs for 1.4 million seniors in Illinois, established a limit on annual out-of-pocket cost at $2,000, and required drug companies to pay a rebate to Medicare if they raise prices faster than the rate of inflation. It also provided the Biden-Harris Administration with the authority to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma, resulting in price reductions of up to 79 percent for some medications last year.
Durbin has also been outspoken on Republicans’ dangerous proposal to fund tax breaks for billionaires by slashing Medicaid funding. Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of nursing homes residents, and the majority of patients with behavioral health needs, while being a lifeline for children’s and rural hospitals. Last week, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on Republicans’ proposed budget plan concluded that, if Republicans push the plan forward, 13.7 million Americans would lose health care coverage.
“People in the United States are paying four times more than people in similar countries pay for life-saving medications,” said Durbin. “I was proud to pass the Inflation Reduction Act during the Biden Administration to cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and empower Medicare to bargain with Big Pharma for lower prices, but there’s still work to be done to address PBMs and their high fees. Instead of focusing on lowering prices for Americans, Republicans in Congress are focused on cutting Medicaid to give tax breaks to billionaires—which would rip away health coverage for nearly 14 million Americans. Hospitals in the Memorial system that rely on Medicaid, whether here in Springfield, or in Decatur or Jacksonville, are the backbone of their community. I’ll continue fighting to protect Medicaid and lower the cost of prescription drugs for Illinoisans.”
“The 340B program helps stretch scarce federal resources, but even that safety net is being undermined by opaque pricing practices and the growing power of pharmacy benefit managers. It’s clear that without action, these problems will only worsen,” said Dr. Chris McDowell, Executive Associate Dean, SIU School of Medicine. “That’s why we are deeply grateful to Senator Durbin for his leadership in calling out these systemic failures—and for championing policies that prioritize patients over profit.”
“PBM reform is urgently needed to protect patient access and lower drug costs. Independent pharmacies are often the only source of care in underserved areas, and pharmacists play a vital role in guiding safe, effective treatment. Without action now, communities risk losing access to essential medications and trusted healthcare professionals,” said David Bagot, President, Illinois Pharmacists Association.
“As physicians, we focus on providing the very best care we can for our patients. We prescribe medications based on an individual patient’s unique needs and conditions. However, drug pricing and availability too often influence the options available to our patients,” said Dr. Ted Clark, Chief Medical Officer, Decatur Memorial Hospital.
Earlier this week, Durbin, as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses during a hearing that investigated the role PBMs play in the drug supply chain and their impact on competition, patients, providers, and pharmacies.
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