New York Senator Charles Schumer is visiting counties across the state to tout lower costs for 10 prescription drugs under Medicare Part D beginning in 2026. His latest stop was at Condo Pharmacy in Plattsburgh today, where he also addressed concerns about EEE.
Senator Schumer said he and senior citizen advocates worked for decades to remove legal restrictions that restricted Medicare from negotiating drug prices. In August 2022 President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act which included provisions to do just that.
“I’m not against companies making profits especially when they spend time investing in research to find these lifesaving drugs," Schumer asserted. "But it’s a monopoly and the profits were too excessive. And so now we’re getting them back to a decent level.”
The Democratic Majority Leader leader also said the new policies include a $2,000 cap on total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors and there’s now a payment option.
“We’ve put a provision in the law that you can pay it back on a monthly basis. But seniors have to apply. It’s simple. It’s easy. But that’s one of the things I want to notify all of our seniors," emphasized Schumer. "Before January 1st there will be on line information as how you can apply very, very simply.”
Schumer acknowledged that many seniors in the North Country have been crossing the border to get cheaper prescription drugs in Canada.
“If seniors want to go across the border they can but it doesn’t affect anything in this program at all,” the Senator noted.
Standing beside Schumer was a trio of seniors who will benefit from the lower prices on the 10 designated prescriptions. Linda Guest from Ausable says she’s pleased she will save money, but asked Schumer if he could address something else that annoys her about the pharmaceutical companies.
“I am so appreciative that you are working on this,” Guest told the Majority Leader.
Schumer nodded and said, “Thank you.”
“And if they complain," continued Guest, "suggest they stop doing those commericals...”
“That drives me crazy. I don’t even understand them!” laughed Schumer.
“I have never danced through an office singing about a pharmacy drug!" chuckled Guest. "Anyway, I could never figure out how much money I should be saving up for or putting aside for because they’re different every single time I go in the pharmacy.”
Senator Schumer also touched on concerns regarding EEE, or Eastern equine encephalitis, a rare and potentially fatal disease spread by mosquitos. Human cases have been reported in Vermont and Massachusetts.
“This was one of the worst mosquito seasons ever. We’re already seeing surges in EEE and the West Nile Virus. So I’m asking particularly the CDC, Center for Disease Control, and the EPA to step up coordination efforts with New York and local officials. Second, the CDC they have a program called Vector Borne Disease program and I’m asking actually for $2 million increase in the vector disease program and then CDC can provide assistance to New York state, whether it’s tracking or the EPA providing help getting rid of the pools," Schumer reported. "They’re already helping other states in the Northeast who have had it even worse than us. But now that it’s getting so bad here I’m asking them to add New York to the list. It’s also important for people of course to protect yourselves.”
Senator Schumer was in Albany earlier this week to promote the lower prescription prices.
