Senator Hassan Participates in AARP Telephone Town Hall, Takes Questions from Granite Staters on Lowering Health Costs and Providing More Support to Caregivers

NEW HAMPSHIRE – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan participated in a telephone town hall yesterday hosted by AARP, where she took questions from Granite Staters on a range of issues, including lowering the cost of prescription drugs and providing more support to caregivers.

“This town hall is a great opportunity to discuss the issues important to Granite Staters and the work that we’re doing to improve and strengthen our health care system and lower the cost of prescription drugs,” Senator Hassan said. “We are nearly 18 months into a pandemic that has taken an incredible toll on the health and well-being of seniors and older Americans in our state. As we recover, we need to remain committed to providing seniors and families with the support that they deserve.”

Senator Hassan answered questions from Granite Staters on a range of issues related to health care and the caregiving economy. Senator Hassan reaffirmed her support for measures to lower prescription drug costs, including by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and capping annual out-of-pocket costs for seniors on Medicare Part D, which are priorities that the Senator is working to include in future legislation to tackle the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs. Additionally, the Senator responded to questions on how she is working to hold big pharma accountable and prevent companies from raising the price of drugs above the rate of inflation. The Senator also spoke about the importance of strengthening support for Home and Community-Based Services in a potential budget bill, as well as the need to pass bipartisan legislation that she supports to provide tax credits to caregivers.

Senator Hassan is working to lower health care costs for Granite Staters and Americans, and in 2019, she voted to advance historic, bipartisan legislation to lower the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and she is currently working with her colleagues to build on this bill and include it in a potential budget package this year. Senator Hassan is also focused on expanding caregiving options for older Americans, and helped introduce the Better Care Better Jobs Act that would provide major investments for Home and Community-Based Services by expanding access to these services through Medicaid funding and address the workforce shortage of direct care workers. Furthermore, Senator Hassan and colleagues secured more than $12.6 billion in dedicated emergency funding for State Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services in the American Rescue Plan. Earlier this year, Senator Hassan also introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to address the critical need for more Direct Support Professionals in the workforce.

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