Prescription Drug Pricing
Prescription Drug Pricing
Clairesa Jackson Ford
Western Governors University
C159: Policy, Politics, and Global Health Trends
August 7, 2020
Prescription Drug Pricing
Policy Proposal
A1.Public Policy Issue
This is a proposal for a federal policy to propose fair and just prices for every
individual who utilizes prescription drugs. Rising costs of prescription drugs have become
detrimental to individuals across the United States often leaving them going without vital
medications needed to improve their state of health. When patients are unable to pay for their
medications, it creates a gap in care that further complicates their already complex health
disparities. Overpriced prescription drugs affect all age ranges and ethnicities. Because it has
become such a condition that affects so many people a federal policy change will be proposed for
mandating fair and affordable prescription drugs for every individual regardless of insurance
status.
A1A: Issue Selection
A 2018 Kaiser poll showed that 80% of Americans believe drug prices are unreasonable,
and a significant majority think that Congress and the President are not doing enough about the
individuals across the United States. In some cases, individuals are unable to obtain life.
sustaining mediation due the unaffordability of the price. Because developing legislation for fair
and just prescription drugs is a difficult and up-hill battle, there has not been a successful plan
mandated across all fifty states to help alleviate the burden placed on individuals trying to obtain
medications needed for the varying health disparities they face. Addressing drug prices can be a
daunting task for state leaders, both because of the complexity of the issue and powerful interests
Prescription Drug Pricing
involved (Reed, 2018). Some of the issues to overcome with addressing overpriced prescription
drugs are high and increasing prices for drugs that are old and commonly used but effective.
expensive drugs that are ineffective or have cheaper alternatives, and extremely high prices for
new effective treatments (Reed, 2018). This issue requires a policy change to prevent and lessen
the burden imposed on individuals across the United States who try to acquire their prescriptions
drugs and are unsuccessful due to the high cost
A1b. Issue Relevance
The relevance of this issue to the health and nurse profession are paramount because
when individuals cannot afford their essential prescription medications, treatment for debilitating
health disparities go untreated leading to an increase in hospital admissions further contributing
to preventable and unnecessary emergency room visits. The most expensive medication is the
one the patient does not take (Millonig, 2016). By not being able to afford needed medications
leaves patients going without important drugs needed to treat chronic health conditions. The lack
of being able to obtain vital prescription drugs also contribute to overspending on an already
overburdened healthcare system. Excessive drug prices are the single biggest category of health-
care overspending in the United States compared to other countries (Emanuel, 2019). All fifty
states have a due diligence to mandate and approve a federal initiative to lower prescription
drugs for every individual in the