Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Wyden, and distinguished Members of the Senate Committee on Finance, on behalf of the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights), thank you for your bipartisan efforts to address the problem of high and rising prescription drug prices, and for the opportunity to share our perspective on this important issue.

Medicare Rights is a national, non-profit 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. We provide 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 and access is an ongoing challenge. Every day on our National Consumer Helpline, we hear from older adults and people with disabilities who are struggling to obtain needed medications. 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.