WASHINGTON – Today, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement of the next 15 drugs selected to have their prices negotiated by Medicare: 

"For too long, big drug companies have padded their profits by setting outrageous prices at the expense of American lives, forcing seniors to skip prescriptions they can’t afford. The first round of Medicare drug price negotiation made it clear that this process will reduce the prices of these important products and create billions of dollars in savings for Medicare and its beneficiaries. With Medicare negotiating to lower prices on more drugs and the new out-of-pocket cap, seniors are finally starting to see relief from high drug prices.” 

New post-election AARP research, conducted in December 2024, shows that older Americans—across the political spectrum—overwhelmingly support CMS’s ability to negotiate drug prices. Specifically: 

• 85% of adults aged 50+ believe it is very or extremely important for Congress and the administration to protect Medicare’s ability to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. 
• 75% of adults aged 50+ believe it is very or extremely important for Congress and the administration to prioritize lowering the cost of prescription drugs. 

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About AARP 

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.