In New Hampshire and across the country, the rising costs of prescription medications are threatening the health and financial well-being of individuals, older adults, and families. These rising costs contribute to higher insurance premiums and cost-sharing, leaving Granite Staters unable to afford their prescriptions. A recent survey revealed that one in four Granite Staters cut pills in half, skipped doses, or did not fill a prescription due to cost.1 In 2020, New Hampshire's Prescription Drug Affordability Board was created to develop strategies to limit rising prescription costs in our state.
HB 570, as amended, would eliminate the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, undermining our state’s strongest effort to address rising prescription prices and placing life-saving medications further out of reach for Granite Staters who need them.
About the Bill
A House Committee adopted an amendment to HB 570 that would eliminate New Hampshire’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB), which plays a critical role in addressing the rising costs of prescription medications in our state. The PDAB works to ensure that Granite Staters can afford the medications they need, which is important as our state faces a growing health care affordability crisis. Over half of our residents are worried about affording their prescription medications, and 89 percent support the PDAB as a strategy to help address this issue.1 Dismantling the PDAB would be a devastating step backward for our state — we must preserve this critical board that ensures life-saving medications remain within reach for all Granite Staters.
New Futures is working with the New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging to oppose this harmful amendment. Learn more about the bill as amended here (on the bill docket, click As Amended by the House under Bill Versions).
Learn More About the Prescription Drug Affordability Board
New Hampshire's Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) is the only independent entity in our state dedicated to addressing the high costs of prescription medications. The PDAB works to ensure transparency and accountability in the prescription market, and find ways to make medications more affordable for our residents, employers, and taxpayers.
Since 2020, the PDAB has identified real savings—$6 million in one year alone—and is currently exploring additional tools, like a prescription drug discount card that could save New Hampshire residents an average of $212 per prescription.2
For Granite Staters, affordable health care is a top priority. Continuing the PDAB is a direct way to address these concerns and ensure costs don't get out of control. Alternatively, repealing the PDAB would increase costs for everyone. By removing oversight, it would leave pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers free to drive up prices with no state-level accountability.
Take Action
Email the Committee of Conference - Save the PDAB!
Call the Committee of Conference - Script Provided!
A phone call is the most effective way to contact a legislator when advocating on a specific issue or bill. It is helpful for many people to prepare beforehand—please find a sample script and contact information below.
Please note Senators have a staff person who answers their phone. Representatives use their personal numbers, so sometimes a family member will answer the phone. Politely ask to leave your name and number with them. If they do not answer, leave a brief message with your name, the town in which you live, and your phone number.
Committee of Conference Members and Contact Information:
Rep. Kenneth Weyler: 603-642-3518
Rep. Dan McGuire: 603-782-4918
Rep. Joe Sweeney: 603-327-7184
Rep. Jose Cambrils: 603-731-8287
Rep. Mary Jane Wallner: 603-225-5249
Sen. Sharon Carson: 603-271-3266
Sen. James Gray: 603-271-4980
Sen. Cindy Rosenwald: 603-271-3207
Call Script:
"Hello [Senator or Representative] [Last Name]. My name is [your name here] and I live in the town of [your town].
I am calling to ask you to fully fund New Hampshire's Prescription Drug Affordability Board in the state budget.
- Our Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) is the only independent entity in our state dedicated to addressing the high costs of prescription medications, ensuring transparency and accountability in a system that unfairly burdens taxpayers, businesses, and families.
- Repealing the PDAB will increase costs for everyone—it removes oversight of PBMs and pharmaceutical companies, leaving them free to drive up prices with no state-level accountability.
- The PDAB has already identified real savings—$6 million in one year alone—and is exploring additional tools, like a prescription drug discount card that could save NH residents an average of $212 per prescription.
- Affordable health care is a top priority for Granite Staters. Over half of our residents are worried about affording their prescription medications, one in four cut pills in half, skipped doses, or did not fill a prescription due to cost, and 89 percent support the PDAB as a strategy to help address this issue. Funding the PDAB is a direct way to address these concerns and ensure costs don't get out of control.
- [Include your personal or professional experience with prescription drug affordability, and any other personal remarks you'd like!]
Thank you for your time and consideration on this issue."
Share Your Story
Are you worried about affording the cost of your prescription medications? Have you ever rationed or skipped doses, or not filled a prescription due to the cost? Please share your experience with affording your prescription drugs using the form below.
Bill Status
The House Finance Committee retained HB 570, meaning that the committee will hold onto the bill for now and review it further later this year. However, the House's state budget proposal does NOT include funding for NH's Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB), meaning that it would be defunded, and the Senate repealed the PDAB in their budget proposal.
Since the budget bills were amended by the Senate, a Committee of Conference has formed to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate versions. Contact members of the committee to urge them to fund the PDAB in the state budget!
Bill Progress
January 29: House Executive Departments and Administration Committee Hearing
February 19: House Executive Departments and Administration Committee recommends "Ought to Pass" on an amended
version of the bill that repeals the PDAB
March 13: NH House of Representatives passes HB 570 with amendment that repeals the PDAB (205-168)
April 1: House Finance Committee retains the bill
