People fighting to control the cost of prescription drugs in Oregon are worried the pharmaceutical lobby may have killed their bill.
For Oregonians who buy insurance through the health insurance exchange, House Bill 2387 would cap co-pays at $250.
It would also make drug manufacturers report research and advertising costs when they increase a drug's price by more than 10 percent.
Jesse O’Brien with the consumer group OSPIRG said the bill passed the House health care committee in April but has yet to surface in the Ways and Means Committee.
“There still is some time left to do this. But the clock’s ticking," O'Brien said. "We have less than a month at this point so we think now is the time.”
A spokesperson for pharmaceutical lobbying group PhRMA said imposing aggressive price controls on innovative medicines is irresponsible and will fatten the wallets of Oregon’s health insurers.
Copyright 2017 Oregon Public Broadcasting
