Washington, DC (November 3, 2021) – The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce has released the following statement in response to potential changes around the Medicare Part D program:

“Our organization is deeply concerned by the rumored proposals to alter Medicare Part D as part of lawmakers’ plans to address the rising cost of prescription medications. Specifically, proposals allowing government-enforced price controls are onerous and counter-productive. The robust health care system we have in place serves to provide the highest quality care at the most affordable price. Patients, including those who drive and employ the tens of thousands of small to large business members of the NPR Chamber, deserve better than the potentially harmful changes that we believe will limit access to certain prescriptions.

Moreover, the proposed changes could affect newer, breakthrough medications, potentially hampering future R&D efforts to develop innovative and increasingly effective drugs. The opinion of the NPR Chamber and its advisors is that there are other, less disruptive ways to address Part D beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs that also enjoy broad support. Proposals that tie beneficiary out-of-pocket costs to the negotiated price, an out-of-pocket cap in Medicare Part D, and smoothing beneficiary costs out over the year are all winning alternative proposals for patients.

We urge you to focus on these proposed common-sense approaches, ensuring that patients are able to reliably access the prescription drugs they need.”