I have spent my career fighting for the hardworking people of our state, especially those who need our support the most. Today, as Congress reconvenes to address critical issues affecting Americans, ensuring affordable health care must be a top priority. Missourians, especially our seniors, face growing challenges from rising prescription drug prices that put life-saving medications out of reach. But unfortunately, some legislative proposals threaten to make the situation even worse, leading to higher premiums for seniors and shifting costs to taxpayers.

One of the major proposals put forward by Congress is actually fueled by big pharma and their greed, and aims to destroy a vital part of the healthcare system, and only control the pharma companies: pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). ). The proposed policy, “disconnection” would single-handedly destroy the market-based incentives that PBMs use to better negotiate critical rebates and rebates from drugmakers.

If the pharmaceutical industry had its way, the American people would face devastating circumstances, with Medicare Part D premiums soaring by billions of dollars, while big pharmaceutical companies pocketed billions more.

According to Professor Casey Mulligan, Ph.D. of the University of Chicago, if “dissociation” were implemented, it would lead to an increase in 13 billion dollars in bonuses for the elderly, while creating a financial windfall of $11 billion for pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Mulligan explains:

“Incentives are important for PBMs as they are for other market players. A financial reward for deeper rebates and rebates results in larger rebates and rebates. Conversely, removing compensation for PBM performance would reduce PBM performance.

Our seniors certainly cannot afford these increased costs.

Simply put, without current market-based incentives, PBMs would have fewer tools to negotiate deep discounts and rebates from big pharma. This change would result in higher costs for plans, fewer savings for seniors and billions of dollars in revenue for pharmaceutical companies.

As the left and big pharma join forces to portray PBMs as their enemies, it is important to state the facts. Pharmaceutical benefit companies are a vital part of the free market health care system, using their power to negotiate lower prices for patients and our seniors. Through their work, PBMs save Americans $148 billion per year, or a total of $148 billion per year. $1,040 per person per year. PBMs play an important role in the healthcare ecosystem, and ill-intentioned policies like “unbundling” aim to disrupt this delicate balance.

The stakes are high. This lame duck session is an opportunity for big pharma to move unbundling under the radar, making it urgent for lawmakers to resist its inclusion in any year-end spending package. For the sake of Missouri’s seniors and all Americans who rely on Medicare Part D, Congress must focus on policies that hold drug companies accountable, not reward them.

I have dedicated my life to protecting the well-being of Missourians. I know that the best way to reduce costs for seniors is to ensure that PBMs can continue to operate with the incentives that allow them to negotiate effectively with drug manufacturers. Removing these incentives would only weaken competition in the market and increase the financial burden on seniors and taxpayers.

Let’s keep our priorities clear. Any end-of-year plan should focus on the needs of America’s seniors and taxpayers, not on increasing the profits of Big Pharma. Missouri seniors are counting on us to stand strong against Big Pharma’s latest attempt to raise costs. Congress must reject “unbundling” and protect the integrity of Medicare Part D to help our seniors.

Represents District 3 in the Missouri Senate