Take Action: Contact Your Legislators

Your voice matters. Tell your Maine State Representative & Senator to strengthen legislation establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

Dear [Lawmaker],

I am writing as your constituent and a registered voter to urge you to strengthen our Prescription Drug Affordability Board with the power to set Upper Price Limits on what we pay for prescription drugs in Maine during this legislative session.

Drug manufacturers set prescription drug prices as high as the market will bear, exploiting their government-granted monopoly power. The result is that Mainers pay 2-4 times what patients in other countries pay for the exact same medications made by the same manufacturers.

A Prescription Drug Affordability Board – also called a Drug Price Accountability Board -  gives Maine the tools to hold manufacturers accountable:

• Review unaffordable medications – identifying drugs with excessive launch prices, unjustified price increases, or costs that create barriers to treatment

• Conduct transparent analysis – requiring manufacturers to present evidence about their costs and pricing decisions while patients and providers testify about clinical value and access impacts

• And when its needed to stop price abuses, set Upper Payment Limits – capping what Maine purchasers pay for medications that fail affordability standards

Big Pharma is working to stop this kind of accountability – through lobbying, repeal efforts, and lawsuits. As you may know, Colorado voted to cap the price of Enbrel in February 2024 after determining its 1,582% price increase made it unaffordable for patients. Our patients, taxpayers, small businesses, and state budget need protections from pharma’s most extreme pricing practices.

Mainers should not have to choose between medications and other necessities. A Drug Price Accountability Board is a proven, practical tool for addressing the root cause of high drug costs: manufacturer list prices.

I respectfully ask for your support on this critical issue and would appreciate a response regarding your position on Drug Price Accountability Board legislation.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
______

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