Lower prescription drug prices, better broadband access top AARP Maine legislative wish list
File Photo / Jim Neuger
Noël Bonam is the state director of AARP Maine.
As Maine state lawmakers get back to work in Augusta, AARP Maine released its 2022 legislative priorities from lower prescription drug prices to better high-speed internet access.
"Concerning the lowering of prescription drug costs, suffice it to say that Mainers are sick and tired of paying three times what people in other countries pay for the same prescription drugs," Noel Bonam, AARP Maine's state director, told Mainebiz.
Noting that state lawmakers will consider several bills this year related to the affordability and accessibility of prescription medications, Bonam added that AARP Maine will continue to fight for lower prescription prices on behalf of the group's members and families. "There will never be a better time to get this done," he said.
Lawmakers returned to Augusta this week for their second regular session that started on Wednesday.
‘Holistic’ approach
To bring more transparency to prescription drug development and pricing, AARP says states should encourage price competition by developing online prescription drug price postings for consumers based on retail pharmacy information classified by zip code.
"Efforts to address high prescription drug prices should be as holistic as possible to help reduce the possibility of cost-shifting," AARP Maine said in its two-page state policy platform released this week.
The Portland-based nonprofit also said that it continues to fight for programs including the Medicare Savings Program and the Drugs for the Elderly Program that help older Mainers remain at home in their communities.
As far as better broadband connectivity is concerned, the group notes that the pandemic has revealed the need for better and more affordable access. The group notes that a modern broad connection is vital to combating isolation among older individuals, connecting families, improving access to telehealth and telemedicine and keeping people connected to communities, educational opportunities and timely resources not otherwise available.
"In 2022, Maine has a huge opportunity to expand affordable broadband access to more Maine communities," Bonam said "However, our connected future will require all hands on deck."
"For Mainers who would like to get involved," he added, "we encourage them to reach out to AARP Maine and become a County Connector, which is a program developed in partnership with the Maine Broadband Coalition."
Bonam took the reins at AARP Maine last year from a multicultural background, having grown up in India and served as director of Maine's Bureau of Cultural Affairs form 2006 to 2010. At AARP Maine, he leads an organization with close to 218,000 members and a six-member staff.
Formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, AARP is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit with members in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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