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Coloradans continue to struggle to pay for their prescription medications. The largest yearly survey of Colorado households conducted by the Colorado Health Institute found that one in five Coloradans skipped health-care services due to cost concerns in 2021. Of the almost 10% of Coloradans who didn’t fill a prescription due to cost, 40% said their health declined. (Kavita V. Nair, 4/22)

Betsy, of Biddeford, pays a ridiculous amount of money for Eliquis, a prescription drug she needs to keep her healthy and out of the hospital. The outrageous cost of prescription drugs is not a new issue for her. Betsy spent her career as a community health nurse, supporting patients who sometimes did not take their medications as prescribed because of the cost, only to end up in the hospital with serious complications. However, the issue became much more personal for Betsy once she retired and learned that her own prescription for Eliquis would cost $500 for a three-month supply. (Troy Jackson and Noel Bonam, 4/23)

As the U.S. Senate returns from recess, one elephant in the room is a proposal that proponents claim will lower prescription drug costs. Following the failure of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better package, the drug pricing provision is among those that have been singled out for more targeted legislation. The policy, which has gained serious momentum among congressional Democrats, relies on price controls applied by the government to artificially lower the cost of some medicine. (Chris Stansbury, 4/22)

All of us at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine are deeply committed to providing our 300,000 members access to high quality, outcomes-driven health care. We believe MaineHealth shares these goals. Where our two perspectives diverge, however, is that our work centers on ensuring that care is affordable. (Denise McDonough, 4/26)