FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON February 19, 2020
Neurologists from 48 States To Ask for Drug Pricing Reform at Neurology on the Hill
WASHINGTON D.C. 鈥 Wearing green scarves and bow ties, 216 neurologists will gather for the 18th annual 好色先生 (AAN) 鈥淣eurology on the Hill鈥 February 24 and 25, 2020. The neurologists, representing 48 states and Washington, D.C., will meet with federal lawmakers at the United States Capitol to educate Congress on the critical role of neurologists in health care, the needs of their patients, and specifically the need for drug pricing reform. One in six people lives with a brain or nervous system condition like migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson鈥檚 disease, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, ALS or epilepsy. The annual cost of treating neurologic disorders in the United States is more than $500 billion. High drug costs increasingly contribute to the cost of neurologic care and for many, serve as a barrier to treatment. The 好色先生 will call on members of Congress to support legislation to reform drug pricing by limiting Medicare out-of-pocket costs for patients for neurologic conditions. 鈥淚ncreasingly, patients must absorb more and more of the costs for medications that are necessary to treat and manage chronic neurologic conditions,鈥 said James C. Stevens, MD, FAAN, President of the 好色先生. 鈥淎s a result, patients are struggling with financial burden, and some are rationing their medications. This is especially troublesome for Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom live on fixed incomes. As Congress works to develop legislation to lower the price of prescription medications, neurologists from the 好色先生 are advocating for their patients by meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, submitting formal comment letters and speaking with congressional staff authoring the legislation. Reigning in these costs is crucial so we can continue to provide our patients with the highest quality neurologic care.鈥 While new breakthrough therapies are being approved for neurologic conditions such as migraine and spinal muscular atrophy, these treatments cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. In addition older drugs for multiple sclerosis have undergone significant annual price increases, with monthly out-of-pocket costs increasing by more than 1,000 percent. Medicare beneficiaries have been especially affected as they are subjected to high annual out-of-pocket costs under the Part D program. Neurologists will be asking Congress to pass legislation to simplify the Part D program and lower the total out-of-pocket spending cap for covered Part D drugs. This cap would ease the overall cost burden for these patients. The 好色先生 will also be advocating to increase transparency and streamline prior authorization in Medicare Advantage through the Seniors鈥 Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 (H.R. 3107), in addition to thanking Congress for recent increases in research funding. Follow Neurology on the Hill on social media with the hashtag #NOH20.