Democrats fighting uphill battle to lower prescription drug costs
Democrats are determined to pass legislation to lower prescription drug costs.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Democrats are determined to pass legislation to lower prescription drug costs.
President Joe Biden held an event on Thursday pushing for lawmakers to take action on bringing down health care prices. At the event, he brought Virginia middle school student Joshua Davis to the stage to talk about living with diabetes.
"I'm thankful that my parents do what - what they can to make sure I have insulin," Davis said.
Joshua's dad has diabetes too, so his mom Shannon says the family spends thousands of dollars each year on medical costs. That's why they support the president's push.
"This would be life-changing - not only for our family, but for the millions of families impacted by diabetes," Shannon Davis said.
"Health care should be a right, not a privilege in this country," President Biden said. "Diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer - they're not partisan issues. They're not Democrat or Republican."
It remains to be seen if the legislation can pass. President Biden says it's already included in his Build Back Better Act.
"Now we just have to get it through the United States Senate - and we're close," President Biden said.
Sen. Joe Manchin is showing no interest in reviving the currently stalled bill.
"We have basically an economy that's on fire. You don't throw more fuel on the fire that's already on fire causing the problems that we have," the West Virginia Democrat said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has introduced a separate bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
"A life-saving prescription drug does not mean anything if you cannot afford that drug," Biden said.
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito agrees it's a problem that needs to be solved.
"I would be very interested," the West Virginia Republican said. "It's more in the how you do it."
Finding that how will be critical if lawmakers want to get legislation across the finish line.