A Kentucky congressman is working to reduce prescription costs, make health care affordable

As a lifelong resident of Kentucky who has served thousands of its residents as a nurse, I am filled with hope and optimism as I witness the earnest efforts of U.S. Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, in tackling the commonwealth's health care affordability challenges.

Comer, who chairs the House of Representatives’ Oversight Committee, continues to hold hearings to get to the bottom of why our prescription drugs have become so expensive. Everyone in this area understands how significant this issue is. For instance, a 2020 survey revealed that three out of four Kentuckians struggle with health care affordability, with many having to choose between paying for their medications or other basic necessities.

More recent studies only show increasing health disparities and lower quality of care, especially in rural Kentucky where access to health care is already limited. It's a grim reality that drug companies continue to inflate their prices, pushing many of my patients and neighbors to ration or skip their medications due to unaffordable cost increases. Comer's call for congressional action is not just a suggestion, it's a necessity. His committee's work can represent a significant step towards providing the relief that Kentuckians desperately need.

Health insurance made me jump through hoops to get the treatment I need. It cost me my job.

While Comer and the committee that he chairs have addressed some of the usual suspects in some of their past activities, there are several others deserving of their attention and scrutiny at their next hearing.

Price-gouging drugmakers and wholesalers raise prescription prices, hurting patients

One of these groups is the major drugmakers, which are responsible for the vast majority of drugs' high list prices today. These companies have no excuse for price-gouging in such an egregious manner. They are the primary reason prescription price increases continue exceeding the inflation rate, and Congress must stop them.

The drug wholesalers, the companies that purchase these drugs from the manufacturers and sell them to pharmacies, also deserve the Oversight Committee's attention. These distributors channel over 90% of the country's drugs, and some state officials contend that they are involved in the United States' largest-ever price-fixing cartel. The Washington Post reported that "profits from allegedly inflated prices flowed from manufacturers through the prescription supply chain…starting with the nation's three biggest wholesalers—McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health—which control 85 percent of the market."

These three companies are the definition of a walking antitrust violation. Many states have already investigated their business practices and secured settlement money from them. For its part, Kentucky has accused them of violating state law and filling its borders with opioids, which led to a nearly $500 million settlement between the commonwealth and these drug behemoths. These violations have directly contributed to the high cost of health care in Kentucky, making it even more crucial for Congress to act on this issue.

Complicating matters is that the three wholesalers own the supposedly pro-consumer companies that are supposed to challenge their abuses. As Renee Ellmers, a nurse and one of Comer's former Republican colleagues, pointed out last year, "the nation's three largest pharmaceutical distributors own an estimated 75 percent of the nation's pharmacy services administrative organizations (PSAOs)," the organizations that are supposed to negotiate good drug contract deals on pharmacies' behalf. This potential conflict of interest, where the major companies that sell drugs also control the entities that are supposed to restrain drug prices, is a clear indication of the systemic issues in the pharmaceutical industry. It's certainly one deserving of Congress' attention and intervention.

James Comer is no hypocrite. His farm LLC isn't the same as the Bidens' shell corporations.

Comer has always been an astute politician laser-focused on addressing his constituents' concerns. We here in Kentucky are grateful for his leadership on this critical issue. His hearings have provided significant steps towards addressing health care affordability, and we eagerly anticipate the outcomes. We encourage readers to support his efforts by staying informed and engaging in the conversation about health care affordability in Kentucky.

Stephanie Wright (Louisville) is a registered nurse with over a decade of experience in health care and a freelance medical writer. She writes frequently about mental health, women's health and public health concerns.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Rep. James Comer is working to lower Kentucky prescription prices