Report describes the price gouging of large pharmaceutical companies in patent matters / Public News Service

As advocacy groups take a victory lap for trying to get lawmakers to finally allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for 10 widely used drugs, a new report details how the makers of those drugs have defrauded taxpayers and consumers out of billions.

Kyle Herrig, senior adviser to the group Accountable.US, said pharmaceutical companies have exploited U.S. patent law for decades to control their prices.

“Such tactics keep prices high for consumers,” Herrig stressed. “And they often result in patients skipping doses, which disproportionately impacts lower-income black and Latino communities.”

Drug companies have regularly paid their competitors to delay the introduction of cheaper generic versions of popular drugs. They have also kept prices high by redefining patent protections by slightly altering a drug to secure a second patent. Drug companies have long argued that high prices are necessary to finance the development of new life-saving drugs.

Although US taxpayers have invested nearly twelve billion dollars in the research and development of the drugs offered by Medicare, Herrig said pharmaceutical companies have also flooded the courts to keep prices high.

“Despite spending billions of taxpayer dollars on drug development, these big pharmaceutical companies have deployed an army of patent attorneys to keep life-saving drugs exclusive and more expensive for seniors and other patients,” Herrig claimed.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) worked with groups like AARP to urge Congress to allow Medicare to use its purchasing power to lower drug prices, saying drugs don’t work if you can’t afford them.

“It’s OK to make profits, but not to the extent that you actually harm the health of Americans,” Klobuchar asserted. “In the United States of America, no one should be forced to choose between filling their prescriptions and filling their shopping cart.”

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More than 270,000 veterans live in Oregon, and many of them may not know they are eligible for home remodeling grants from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. An AARP survey found that 60% of veterans ages 45 and older were unaware of the VA’s grants.

Juanita Jimenez-Soto, national manager for veterans and military families at AARP, said her organization analyzed five VA grants and developed a guide to help veterans navigate them.

“They allow you to purchase, build or remodel a home to meet your long-term needs. These grants provide eligible veterans with a disability rating of one to 100% with up to $117,000 to pay for home improvements,” she explained.

Jimenez-Soto noted that financial assistance for home modifications is free for people who qualify. The VA provides more than $150 million each year through these grant programs.

The AARP survey also found that nearly a quarter of veterans say they need financial help to stay in their current home. Jimenez-Soto added that it’s important for people to think not only about their current needs, but also what they might need in the future.

“We often find that veterans don’t need these adaptations – that handrail in the bathroom or that ramp – but as we age, sometimes our bodies change,” she continued.

Jimenez-Soto said veterans need to remember that they have earned these benefits.

“Sometimes a veteran thinks they don’t deserve these benefits. Maybe someone who also served thinks, ‘Well, they might need it more.’ The thing is, there’s enough money in these programs to apply for them and get them,” she said.

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While recent changes on the political scene have boosted the influx of many younger voters, a new poll shows that older voters in Ohio could still make up an outsized share of the electorate in November.

According to a poll released this week by AARP Ohio, 89% of voters ages 50 and older say they are “extremely motivated” to vote this year.

Jenny Carlson, AARP’s Ohio state director, said polls confirmed that candidates need to pay attention to seniors and the issues that matter to them.

“Voters over 50 are the largest voting bloc and could swing the election for any candidate,” she said. “They will be voting in November. They are the most motivated to vote. They clearly dominate the electorate. Candidates who want to win really need to listen to the results of this poll.”

In the Senate race in Ohio, Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown has a four-point lead over Republican Bernie Moreno overall, but the GOP candidate is two points ahead among voters over 50. In the presidential election, the poll showed older voters prefer Donald Trump to Kamala Harris by a margin of 54 percent to 36 percent.

For a large majority of Ohio’s seniors, candidates’ positions on economic issues are very important, including issues such as protecting Medicare coverage, helping people stay in their own homes as they age, and lowering prescription drug costs.

Carlson said money problems were the most common.

“Three out of five Ohio voters cite ‘personal economic issues’ as a key factor in their voting decision in November,” she said. “These are inflation, the economy and Social Security. Older voters are very concerned about money issues.”

Carlson noted that Ohio’s seniors also have strong opinions about supporting family caregivers. Across the state, she said, family caregivers perform about $21 billion worth of unpaid work. While this saves taxpayers billions of dollars, it strains many family budgets to the breaking point.

“Family caregivers are those over 50, who make up about 17% of all voters in Ohio,” she said. “What’s important about that? That’s more than the swing voters, who make up about 14%. So they’re going to vote for the candidate who speaks out for them.”

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AARP Colorado encourages residents, including those ages 50 and older, to register for the free 2024 Planning Academy.

Marissa Volpe, the group’s deputy state director for livable and diverse communities, said the academy will show participants how public policy is made and give them the tools they need to make communities even better places to live, work and play for people of all ages.

“It’s pretty extensive,” Volpe acknowledged. “We talk about everything from ‘Can I afford where I live, can I get to where I need to go, can I stay in my community, do I have access to quality health care?'” Volpe explained.

As part of AARP’s national Livable Communities initiative, the academy will focus on key strategies that can be implemented at the state, regional and local levels. There will be a total of eight sessions, all held virtually, beginning October 1. The application deadline is August 8.

Participants will examine pilot programs being implemented in cities like Denver that have been successful in reducing social isolation and improving pedestrian safety. A big focus will be on so-called smart growth strategies that combine affordable housing with transportation options to make it easier for people to get to essential appointments and other services.

“The idea is to create housing near transportation that is accessible,” Volpe explained. “That feels reliable and safe for older people and has good lighting.”

While there is no requirement for academy participants to serve on local boards or committees, Volpe hopes people will find a way to apply what they learn and become more involved in improving their communities.

“An important aspect of healthy aging is having a purpose for getting up every morning,” Volpe said. “This work lends itself to that, it lends itself to really making a difference.”

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