On behalf of the Medicare Rights Center, thank you for the opportunity to share our perspective as the committee considers bipartisan legislation to reduce health care costs. The Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives. Our organization provides services and resources to nearly three million people with Medicare, family caregivers, and health care professionals each year.

Based on this experience, we know that prescription drug affordability is an ongoing challenge. Every day on our National Consumer Helpline, we hear from older adults and people with disabilities who are struggling to cover their drug costs. Given that many people with Medicare live on fixed or limited incomes that cannot keep pace with high and rising drug prices, the perennial nature of these calls is alarming, but not surprising…