Here in Iowa, families know the value of hard work and saving for a rainy day, but even the most responsible households are feeling the squeeze from rising prescription drug costs.
 

A federal analysis found that more than 4,200 drugs had list-price increases between January 2022 and January 2023, averaging 15.2%. Nearly half of those increases were higher than the rate of inflation. What’s more, prescription drug prices in the U.S. were nearly three times higher, on average, than prices in 33 other countries, according to a RAND report.
 

These price increases put additional pressure on rural and working-class communities across Iowa. Forty-four percent of Iowans surveyed by IAAHC’s Cygnal poll said prescription drug costs had become more expensive over the past year. Nearly 58% said they would prefer lower prices at the pharmacy counter over convenience.
 

Affordable coverage also helps people take their medications as prescribed. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, cost caused 18.1% of uninsured adults to skip doses, take less medication, or delay filling a prescription, compared with only 6.6% of adults with private drug coverage and 7.6% with public coverage.
 

Iowans deserve affordable access to the medicines they need, without excessive prices putting unnecessary strain on families and making it harder for people to stay on their medications.
 

IAAHC will work with state lawmakers to ensure proposed policies do not increase prescription drug costs, while continuing to advocate for solutions that address the rising cost of medicines and improve affordability for Iowa families.