


Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has introduced legislation aimed at cutting drug costs, but the legislation aligns him more with Senate Democrats than the GOP on the matter.
Hawley says the two pieces of legislation will "put Big Pharma on notice" and continue his recent push to cap drug costs amid inflation.
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“Our prescription drug market is rigged in favor of Big Pharma and Big Insurance, and patients are paying the price. Americans foot the bill for the most costly prescription drug prices in the world — all while middlemen negotiate backroom deals to extract financial kickbacks that drive prices further up and prevent lower-cost alternatives,” Hawley said in a statement.
“These conditions inflate prices, strain the budgets of American families, and create unacceptable barriers to care. It’s time to stop subsidizing lower drug costs for foreigners, end Big Insurance’s pay-to-play scheme, and put American patients first,” he added.
The Fair Prescription Drug Prices for Americans Act would require pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs in the U.S. at a rate at or less than the average price of the drug in G-7 countries, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Drug companies would be subject to fines if they sell drugs above the average price.
The Ending the Prescription Drug Kickback Act of 2023 would not allow prescription drug rebates for federal or private health insurance plans. Hawley's office said it would "restore transparency and fairness to the prescription drug market."
The Senate GOP tends not to support legislation capping drug prices, with only seven GOP senators, including Hawley, voting for an amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act that would have capped insulin prices.
When asked what he plans to tell other Republican senators to garner support for the bill, Hawley told NBC News his colleagues should prioritize the people over pharmaceutical companies.
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“So my pitch to my fellow Republicans is, listen, we need to be for people, not for pharma. We need to be about helping patients be able to get affordable prices. And I have no interest in helping pharma further fleece these consumers to line their own pockets," Hawley said.
He also told the outlet he hopes support for these bills, and another bill capping insulin prices, will be "bipartisan."