Senator Klein Pushes To Make Prescription Drug Prices Available To Public

Earlier, Senator Klein commissioned a study entitled “Filled Prescriptions, Empty Pockets” that found that prescription drug prices varied dramatically from one pharmacy to the next, making it difficult to find the best price. Armed with this report, Klein successfully fought for legislation requiring the Department of Health to compile prescription drug price lists from every pharmacy in the state and post them on their website so seniors can shop around for the best drug prices.

Senator Klein’s motion to bring the bill to the floor failed when Senate Republicans unanimously withheld their support. “It’s shameful that the big pharmaceutical companies, who continue to block this legislation, are willing to deny New Yorkers this vital information that can help dramatically bring down drug costs statewide,” Klein said.

A 12-year veteran of the State Legislature, Klein has long been working to bring down the exorbitant cost of prescription drugs. In addition to his legislation to make retail drug prices publicly available, Senator Klein has proposed expanding New York’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC) to tens of thousands more New Yorkers by raising the income eligibility level from $35,000 to $50,000 for individuals and from $50,000 to $75,000 for couples, immediately lowering the prices for more than 22,000 seniors statewide by, on average, 80 percent.