Take Action Now! Protect Virginia’s Growing Life Sciences Industry and Patient Access to Critical Care.
This session, Virginia lawmakers are considering policies to address rising health care costs, but it's critical that any attempts do not sacrifice patient access to critical treatments or undermine our Commonwealth's ability to attract investment in lifesaving research and development. Unfortunately, several Virginia lawmakers are considering legislation that would do just that.
House Bill 483 (HB483) and Senate Bill 271 (SB271) would create a prescription drug affordability board (PDAB) here in the Commonwealth that could artificially set prescription drug prices without taking patient preferences into account. Studies show these boards drive up patient costs while reducing medication access, ultimately putting critical care out of reach for Virginia patients and stifling our local innovation economy. To date, no PDAB in any state –including in neighboring Maryland –has lowered costs for patients, and New Hampshire already repealed theirs over cost and access concerns.
ACT NOW: TELL VA LEGISLATORS TO SAY NO TO A PDAB
Virginia Bio encourages you to join your fellow advocates and tell your state lawmakers that implementing a PDAB is not the answer to lowering out-of-pocket costs for patients. There are better ways to lower healthcare costs without limiting access to critical care. Send a letter today!
Dear [LAWMAKER NAME],
As your constituent, I urge you to stand with Virginia patients and oppose
House Bill 483 (HB483) and Senate Bill 271 (SB271) legislation worsen patient access to necessary treatments and weaken the state's leading biotech industry.
HB483 & SB271 would establish a prescription drug affordability board (PDAB) in Virginia and give power to potentially inexperienced government-appointed lay persons to artificially set prescription drug prices without taking patient preferences into account. Despite multiple states trying them, a PDAB has yet to save patients money, and New Hampshire went so far as to repeal theirs over cost and access concerns. Studies show these boards can increase patient costs, reduce medication access through delays and denials, and ultimately put critical care out of reach for Virginia patients while stifling growth of our local life sciences industry.
While solutions to help patients better afford prescription drug costs are critical, they must not sacrifice patient access to critical treatments or undermine our Commonwealth's ability to attract investment in lifesaving research and development. Virginia patients need commonsense solutions that will have a meaningful impact on what patients pay at the pharmacy counter and support our growing biotechnology industry. Please oppose
HB483 & SB271. Patients across the Commonwealth are counting on you.
Thank you,
[CONSTITUENT NAME]
