DCBS release – Salem – The Oregon Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) is hosting a series of community forums to help the board with direction on how to move forward with the rising costs of prescription drugs. PDAB was created out of Senate Bill 844 in 2021 to find ways to make prescription drugs more affordable for Oregonians by making recommendations to the Oregon Legislature. Later, Senate Bill 192 (2023) directed the board to develop a plan for establishing upper payment limits (UPL) on prescription drugs sold in Oregon and seek the public’s input on the effect of the rising costs of drugs in Oregon. An upper payment limit is a limit on what purchasers within the state will pay for specific drugs identified by the board. PDAB staff members will facilitate the free meetings in April and May. Everyone is invited to attend, learn more about prescription drug costs, and tell their story of how costly prescriptions have affected their health, budget, and lives. Lou Savage, a past director of the Department of Consumer Business Services and former Oregon insurance commissioner, will be the moderator. He will present an overview of prescription drug pricing, explain why costs are high, and talk about the board’s work to make prescription drugs and insulin more affordable for Oregonians. The Woodburn meeting will be in Spanish. For questions, email pdab@dcbs.oregon.gov or call 971-374-3724. “We believe it will be vital to take the time over the coming months to engage stakeholders on UPL methodologies, resources needed, how UPLs would be implemented and enforced,” said Ralph Magrish, executive director of PDAB. “This will allow us to bring back a plan and pathway that will create public value for Oregonians and help address drug affordability in our state in the most meaningful and inclusive way possible.” There will be five in-person forums across the state: Portland – Tuesday, April 2, 6-8 p.m. Portland State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon S.; Lincoln City – Tuesday, April 9, 6-8 p.m. Lincoln City Cultural Center, 540 NE Highway 101; Woodburn – Monday, April 15, 5-7 p.m., Woodburn Public Library Multipurpose Room, 280 Garfield St., (Spanish speaking); Medford – Thursday, April 25, 6-8 p.m., Rogue Community College HEC, 101 S Bartlett St.; Bend – Tuesday, April 30, 6-8 p.m., Deschutes County Library, 62080 Dean Swift Road. There will also be two online-only forums: Wednesday, May 8, noon to 2 p.m. Join ZoomGov Meeting: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1609683098?pwd= ZFVvNHdGV1dMYm5GWWQ1ZWlkcEl4UT09
Meeting ID: 160 968 3098 Passcode: OregonPDAB Dial by your location: 669 254 5252; Tuesday, May 14, 6-8 p.m., Join ZoomGov Meeting: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1617060370?pwd= YlhObURQRTcyTTJrSkx2ZjB0S3RUUT09, Meeting ID: 161 706 0370 Passcode: OregonPDAB Dial by your location: 669 254 5252. For more information, email pdab@dcbs.oregon.gov, call 971-374-3724, or go to dfr.oregon.gov/pdab.
