Every year, Mainers across the state are forced to forgo their prescription drugs due to the cost. As we’ve reported in the past, over 200,000 Mainers have gone without care or prescribed medication due to the cost at some point.
To help address this concern, state lawmakers have worked to pass multiple pieces of legislation in previous sessions, including one to reduce prescription drug costs by using international pricing. That bill was signed into law by Governor Mills last year.
Now, Senator Joseph Baldacci has introduced LD 759: An Act to Reduce Out-of-pocket Prescription Drug Expenses for Coinsurance. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Donna Bailey, Colleen M. Madigan, Joseph Rafferty, Daniel Shagoury, and Michael Tipping.
LD 759 would reduce the maximum out-of-pocket limit for prescription drugs subject to coinsurance from $3,500 to $1,500 per year. The proposal would create a smaller financial hurdle for the hundreds of thousands of Mainers who rely on prescription medication to remain healthy.
Last month, the bill was referred to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services in the House. Lawmakers in that chamber will have to decide whether or not to approve the measure.
Mainers For Working Families believes that every single Mainer should have access to affordable healthcare. That means no one should have to go without prescription drugs due to cost. We look forward to seeing the passage of LD759 in the Maine Legislature this session.
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