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Dr. Mehmet Oz, who serves as the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), emphasized the profound implications of this policy. Currently, Americans face exorbitant drug prices—sometimes paying up to three times more than consumers in Europe and other developed nations for the same medications, even when produced in the same factories.
He highlighted that approximately one in three Americans experiences sticker shock at the pharmacy counter, often leading them to forgo necessary medications. Many also face a heartbreaking choice: buy food or buy medicine. This policy aims to alleviate that dilemma by making essential drugs more affordable through equitable pricing.