December 17, 2019
Dear editor;
I am pleased to see that legislation championed by our U.S. representative, Lauren Underwood, was passed in the House earlier this month as another example of how she stands up for the needs of our District citizens.
HR3, The Lower Drug Costs Now Act, passed and goes to the U.S. Senate for final action. We all know that the cost of prescription drugs drastically has increased, to far exceed inflation, and has impacted a patient’s ability to afford many of life-saving medications required by many. Recent reports find that one-third of American adults decide they cannot fill prescriptions they receive from their doctors, or must ration medication below required levels. This new bill can help relieve much of that pain.
As a nurse, Underwood has led Congress in the health care arena. In October she introduced a five-point plan to reduce skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs for Illinois families. In the plan, Underwood gave details the steps Congress must take to reduce out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs: Negotiate lower drug prices, eliminate price hikes, ensure generics remain affordable options, and invest in research for tomorrow’s cures. These principles are part of HR3 and can impact 83,000 residents in our District enrolled in Medicare Part D and more than 500,000 enrolled in private health insurance plans.
I am thankful that our representative is not a lawyer, or a traditional politician. We sent a nurse with expert skills about medical health care programs to Washington to represent us. Her research and extensive listening to citizens in our 14th District have produced results and bipartisan support from the House. Congresswoman Underwood is working for you and residents across our country for affordable health care.
Chuck Steinbach, Yorkville