Urge lawmakers to remove the provision that would force pharmacy closures and drive up costs for patients.
With our rural hospitals already under threat, Tennessee is considering a bill – SB 2040/HB 1959 – that would risk some types of pharmacies to close, too. But that same bill would do nothing to lower drug prices. So patients still face unaffordable insulin, cancer drugs, and specialty medications.
But the proposed law raises patients’ real cost: we keep paying manufacturers’ monopoly prices PLUS new transportation costs, time costs, and health costs from reduced access. It also would close multiple types of pharmacies – retail locations, mail-order services, and specialty pharmacies. That means, for example:
In other words, this part of the bill hurts our people most: Uninsured, underinsured, rural, elderly, and disabled patients. We are exactly the Tennesseans who most need lower drug prices, but we will lose accessible pharmacy care while drug prices stay high. This is not a commonsense way to address affordability issues in our state.
Your voice matters. Tell your Tennessee state lawmakers to repeal the law that will force some pharmacy services to close or be sold off and increase real costs to patients.
1 in 4 adults report difficulty affording prescription medications
Hundreds of thousands of patients may lose access to the pharmacy services they count on
This bill hurts Tennesseans who can least afford it: Uninsured, underinsured, rural, elderly, and disabled patients. The added financial strain will come from increased transportation costs, time costs, and health costs from reduced access.
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