Rep. David Trone Hosts Gaithersburg Roundtable with Marylanders Struggling to Afford the High Cost of Prescription Drugs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov
Rep. David Trone Hosts Gaithersburg Roundtable with Marylanders Struggling to Afford the High Cost of Prescription Drugs
Gaithersburg, MD – Today, Representative David Trone (MD-06) hosted a roundtable in Gaithersburg, Maryland to discuss the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs.
The roundtable included several constituents who wrote to Trone about the staggering cost of prescription drugs and federal, state, and local stakeholders. The roundtable comes as the House is poised to move forward with H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act.
“No American should have to decide between feeding their family and taking the medicine they need to stay healthy,” said Congressman David Trone. “It’s mind boggling that drug companies charge Americans two and three times what people in other countries pay for the same drug. These are the same drug companies who pay billions to advertise their drugs on TV while they gouge consumers. That’s why I’m a proud cosponsor of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which will save lives and billions of dollars for American families and the federal government.”
At the roundtable, Trone heard from constituents, individuals in the private and public sectors, and national advocacy groups about the impact soaring prescription drug prices have had on patients. Trone also shared his support for H.R. 3, which would save Medicare $345 billion and reinvest these savings in innovation and the search for new cures and treatments.
All 13 stakeholders from the federal, state, and local level in attendance are listed below.
Federal Level Stakeholders
- Jane Sheehan, Senior Federal Relations Manager at Families USA
- Kathy Schwab, National Active and Retired Federal Employees
- Dr. Gary Roundtree Sr., Maryland Federation President of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
State Level Stakeholders
- Vincent DeMarco, President of Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative
- Tammy Bresnahan, Maryland Advocacy Director for AARP
- Latecia Howard, Registered Nurse at the University of Maryland Capital Region Health
- Susan Flashman, Acting State President of the Maryland Alliance for Retired Americans
- Pam Parker, Maryland Alliance for Retired Americans
Montgomery County Stakeholders
- Barbara Weiner, Constituent
- Dr. Jean Dinwiddle, Chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Aging
- Yolanda Lewis, Constituent and member of the Sickle Cell Community Consortium
- Carol Smith, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Aging and Disability Resource Unit
- Suzette Cumberland, Constituent
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees, where he is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.
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