Finkenauer Hosts Prescription Drug Listening Session

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) held a listening session in Dubuque to hear how prescription drug prices are affecting constituents in Iowa’s First Congressional District. Finkenauer hosted the event at Carnegie Stout Library with invited guests and shared how she is working with Democrats and Republicans on legislation to drive down the cost of prescription drugs.

Participants included Mickey King from Dubuque and Heidi Lilibridge from Benton.

Mickey King said, “Lowering prescription costs is important to us as we are preparing our daughter for the transition to adulthood.  We want to ensure that she will be able to afford insulin in order to live and have a family.   By participating in this roundtable, we hope to have our voice heard and for people to understand the impact and concerns with prescription costs and insurance.”

"Thanks to Congresswoman Finkenauer for bringing this important issue of lowering prescription drug costs from individual families, like mine, to a national level. I appreciate her work across party lines to make this a priority,” said Heidi Lillibridge. “Lowering prescription drug costs is important to my family and me. Many people already have to decide between prescription drugs and food on their table.  I don't want to have to make that decision."

“Lowering the cost of prescription drugs for Iowans and Americans is one of my top priorities,” Congresswoman Finenauer said, “The stories we heard today show that our work to ease the unfair burden of high drug prices is far from done. I will keep working with anybody who is serious about common sense solutions. Iowans and Americans should not be forced to make the impossible choice between healthcare and quality of life.”

During the listening session, Finkenauer also heard feedback on the recently introduced drug pricing reform legislation, The Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3). The legislation aims to make prescription drugs cheaper by allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies and making those negotiated lower prices available to all Americans, including those with private insurance.

Finkenauer also announced the Real Experience (Rx) Initiative, a new online tool for Iowans in the First Congressional District to share how prescription drug prices are impacting them. An online form will be available for constituents to share their stories with the office. A link to that form is available here.

“Elevating voices of people in our district is one of the most important parts of my role,” Finkenauer said, “Offering this opportunity for folks in our district to easily share their stories with me will help as I continue to stand up and fight for the hard-working people in our communities.”