Cortez Masto, Wyden, Colleagues Announce Plans for Expanding Future Drug Price Negotiations, Denounce Trump’s Failure to Lower Cost of Prescription Drugs

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Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) announced the Democratic plan for lowering prescription drug costs for Americans, including by enabling Medicare to negotiate the prices of more drugs more quickly and by helping to lower drug costs for Americans who get health insurance through their job or purchase it on their own. The Senators' plan would build upon Democrats' success in allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for seniors.

"Americans are being forced to choose between getting the medication they need and putting food on the table - especially with this administration's policies raising prices on everyday items," said Senator Cortez Masto. "That's why Democrats are taking steps to continue the work we started and make health care more affordable. We have a plan to lower prescription drug costs even further, and we're going to keep fighting to lower health care costs for Americans across this country."

President Donald Trump has promised to lower Americans' drug prices "to levels nobody ever thought was possible." However, in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Republicans instead included policies that block Medicare from negotiating the price of certain blockbuster drugs. In January, drug manufacturers announced they have raised prices for 948 drugs - including Opdivo, one of the life-saving cancer treatments Trump and Republicans bailed out from Medicare drug price negotiations.

To reverse these disastrous big pharma bailout provisions, last year Senators Cortez Masto, Wyden, and Welch introduced the No Big Blockbuster Bailouts Act. This legislation would ensure seniors, people with disabilities on Medicare, and families can afford the lifesaving medications they need.

Read the full list of proposals here. For the full list of drug costs already negotiated through Democrats' Medicare provisions, click here.

Senator Cortez Masto is a leader in the Senate in ensuring older Nevadans can access quality, affordable health care, including through Medicare. She has led efforts to lower drug costs for seniors, hold Big Pharma accountable, and expand Medicare drug price negotiation. This year, lower prices will take effect for the first 10 prescription drugs, saving taxpayers an estimated $6 billion, and saving Medicare enrollees - seniors and people with disabilities - an estimated $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs. She has also championed legislation to strengthen Medicare-funded behavioral health services and telehealth services, as well as protect access to ambulance services in rural and underserved areas.

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