Media Advisory

Milwaukee-area seniors concerned about soaring prescription drug prices will have an opportunity to become educated and empowered at a town hall on Friday, October 11th, presented by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and co-sponsored by AARP.

This is the first of a series of town halls the National Committee will hold across the U.S. as part of its new “Don’t Cut Pills, Cut Profits” campaign, which aims to inform and mobilize older Americans on a crucial issue for seniors in advance of the 2020 elections.

What:                     

Town Hall on Prescription Drug Pricing

When:                    

Friday, October 11, 2019; 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Lunch served at 11:45 am

Where:                   

Italian Community Center
631 E. Chicago St. Milwaukee, WI 
Due to Limited seating, RSVP is required.  Call 800-966-1935

Invited  Guests:   

Congresswoman Gwen Moore
State Senator Tim Carpenter
Gov. Tony Evers
Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson
Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Policy experts from NCPSSM and AARP

“Why do drug prices keep rising, despite public outcry?  And what do older voters need to know if they want things to change?  Seniors can get answers to these questions from some of the nation’s top policy experts and public officials from Wisconsin — and share their own struggles with high prescription drug prices — at this town hall,” says National Committee president and CEO Max Richtman, who will moderate the event.

Older Americans have been particularly hard hit at the pharmacy counter in recent years. Prices for the 20 most-prescribed drugs for seniors increased approximately ten times the rate of inflation between 2013-2018.  One million Medicare beneficiaries paid nearly $3,200 in out-of-pocket drug costs in 2016.  Increased cost sharing for prescription drugs has forced seniors to forgo needed medications, cut pills, and skip doses – or choose between medicine and groceries.

The “Don’t Cut Pills, Cut Profits” campaign is committed to ending prescription price gouging by holding Big Pharma and our nation’s elected leaders accountable, with the help of millions of seniors around the country.  The campaign includes town halls, voter education, petition drives, and outreach to members of Congress to support legislation that will reduce drug prices.

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The National Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization acts in the interests of its membership through advocacy, education, services, grassroots efforts and the leadership of the Board of Directors and professional staff.  The work of the National Committee is directed toward developing better-informed citizens and voters.

Media Inquiries to:

Brad Wright 202-216-8352
Walter Gottlieb 202-216-8414