Editor’s notice: That is an Opinion Editorial despatched to the Missouri Instances on behalf of a involved Missouri citizen. The letter was despatched by LS2 group, a bipartisan public relations group that’s headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.
Right here in Missouri, practically 1.2 million senior residents depend on Medicare to offer them with the protection wanted to entry important drugs that enable them to reside completely happy and healthily lives.
My mother’s a senior, and I’ve too skilled the various challenges that include getting old. Whether or not it’s arthritis or hypertension, every ailment requires particular drugs to handle signs and keep lively.
For a lot of, it’s straightforward to miss the necessary position Medicare protection performs for People, however for households like mine that depend on it, we by no means overlook the essential position this system performs in our every day lives
That’s the reason I’m so involved that President Biden continues to induce Congress to go laws known as “Medicare negotiation”, which goals to decrease affected person prices by permitting the federal government to set the costs of prescription drugs in Medicare.
Whereas on the floor this coverage effort sounds good, it solely takes slightly little bit of analysis to know the grave impacts Medicare negotiation may have on entry to new medicines and coverings if applied.
Make no mistake about it, if Congress mandates that the federal authorities set the costs of prescription drugs in Medicare, we are going to see funding for brand new analysis and improvement plummet – which is able to finally end in fewer therapies and cures coming to market.
Not solely may this be detrimental for seniors and sufferers of all ages, however this degree of presidency overreach may trigger the U.S. to relinquish its place as the worldwide chief in new drug discovery as we proceed to battle off a worldwide pandemic.
The free-market healthcare system america has created has been the driving consider our manufacturing of recent therapies and cures. Our progressive spirit has given us entry to just about 90% of all drugs at present obtainable globally.
For on a regular basis People and senior residents like my mother, because of this if a drugs has been created to deal with a illness or illness we’re affected by, we should be assured that we are going to have the capabilities to entry it.
I’m all for decreasing out-of-pocket prices sufferers face, however I’m not in favor of additionally jeopardizing medical analysis and innovation within the identify of cost-cutting.
On the finish of the day, People need to have a healthcare system that works for them, not in opposition to them. As a Missourian, I’m proud to know that now we have allies in Washington like Senator Hawley and Consultant Hartzler, and others who’re preventing to guard our entry to drugs and guarantee senior residents, like my mother, can take pleasure in a cheerful and wholesome retirement.
I ask our delegation to work with others in Congress and vote in opposition to Medicare negotiation proposals. Our well-being is dependent upon it.
Wealthy Kroeter is a proud Missourian and former licensed public accountant who’s now retired.
