Here is what we know: Americans pay more than any other country in the world for their prescription drugs. Top executives from the biggest drug companies all agree that this is so and they will not take responsibility. In fact, they continue to push for higher prices and a greater monopoly on prescription drug pricing to boost their profit margin.

Their price-gouging tactics are shameful. In Maine, between 2015 and 2020, the price of the cancer drug Revlimid soared from $185,574 per year to $267,583 annually. Victoza, prescribed to Maine diabetes patients, rose from $7,936 per year to $11,300 annually.

The drug companies spend millions on lobbyists and lobbying campaigns to try to keep their high prices and high profits. They spend billions more every year on marketing and advertising than they do on research and the development of new drugs that could save lives and alleviate pain. Big Pharma is more focused on profits than the health and well-being of Maine seniors.

Thousands of older Mainers take prescription drugs. For many, prescription drugs represent the only defense they have against crippling pain. For others, prescription medications are a lifeline in their fight against serious conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. They have no choice but to pay even more crippling prices for their prescription drugs. We hear stories of Mainers mortgaging their homes and maxing out credit cards in order to afford their drugs. Others choose to cut their doses in half or take their drugs less frequently against their doctor’s orders.

Yet, the Big Pharma money-making machine continues with seemingly little chance of hitting a roadblock.

Until now.

The Build Back Better Act, that could be voted on as early as this week, includes provisions to lower prescription drug prices and lower seniors’ costs. Congress has the historic opportunity to include a provision in this bill that would enable Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices for Mainers and for all Americans, something AARP has been pushing for decades. It would be inexcusable for our congressional delegates to walk away from this important opportunity to lower drug prices.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what will happen if Congress does not take action right now. Seniors have waited too long and heard too many promises about lowering drug prices, and they cannot wait any longer.

There is no reason why Americans should continue paying three times more than the rest of the world for prescription drugs. Nearly 90% of older voters believe Congress should take action to lower prescription drug prices, which would save American consumers and taxpayers billions of dollars each year. There needs to be a strong policy to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, and Congress should not water down the deal that is now in the Build Back Better package. PhRMA got a sweetheart deal many years ago and it needs to end now for the sake of millions of older Americans and their families.

AARP also strongly supports capping seniors’ out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D and penalizing drug companies that increase drug prices faster than inflation. In 2020 alone, brand named drug prices increased prices at three and a half times the rate of inflation. Mainers and Americans across the country simply cannot keep up with such increases.

It would be disgraceful for Congress to walk away from the promise to lower drug prices. In Maine, AARP has mobilized our wealth of volunteers and over 200,000 members to make calls to our state’s members of Congress so they hear from as many people as possible on this critical issue. With well over 1,000 lobbyists in play on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, it has never been more important for Mainers to make their voices heard and for our Congressional delegates to stand strong for the sake all older adults and their families.

On behalf of our members and their families, AARP is all in on this fight and we are calling on the House to pass the bill to lower drug prices this week.

Noël Bonam is AARP Maine state director.

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