Mayor Scott to Join Executive Director of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board and advocates to discuss work to address high drug costs and plans for the future
WHAT: Forum on rising prescription drug costs and the state’s response to the issue
WHEN: Wednesday, November 8, 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Waxter Center, 1000 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
Livestream: https://www.facebook.com/mdhealthcareforall
WHO:
- Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott
- Andrew York, Executive Director, Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Heang K. Tan, Deputy Commissioner, Baltimore City Health Department
- Claudia Balog, Commissioner, Baltimore City Commission on Aging, Resources, and Empowerment (CARE)
- Jim Gutman, AARP Maryland Executive Council Member
- Rev. Dr. Sandra Conner, President, Baptist Ministers’ Night Conference of Baltimore & Vicinity
- Vincent DeMarco, President, Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition
The Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition will join Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the executive director of the state’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board for a forum to update the community about the Board’s progress and to hear from residents about their continuing struggles to pay high prescription drug costs.
The Maryland General Assembly established the Prescription Drug Affordability Board in 2019, the first such board of its kind in the nation. The Board has the authority to examine the high cost of prescription drugs and ascertain how to make these drugs more affordable for Marylanders, beginning with procedures to make high-cost drugs more affordable for state and local governments. Many states across the country are working to replicate Maryland’s landmark new law. The forum will provide the Board with a chance to update the public on its work.
“The Board has been working hard, and we’re excited to meet with the public to update the community about the progress we’ve made,” said Board Executive Director Andrew York. “We need to hear from folks about how they’ve been affected so we can make sure we enact policies that meet the needs of Marylanders.”
Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition, which is sponsoring the forum, will work in the 2024 General Assembly session to expand the authority of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board so it can develop plans for bringing down the cost of drugs for all Marylanders.
“We are grateful to have Mayor Scott’s support as we begin to advocate to expand the authority of the Board,” said Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition. “The Board has worked tirelessly and it’s time to develop broad solutions to help people in Maryland afford their medications. We look forward to working with legislators on meaningful legislation to bring down costs for all people in the state.”
Last modified: November 7, 2023
