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Sen. Wyden's staff urges wider federal action on drug prices, asks PDAB for Oregon input
Summary
Sen. Ron Wyden's health advisers briefed the Oregon PDAB on a multi-pronged federal initiative to lower prescription costs, asking the state board to share local perspectives as federal proposals consider Medicare negotiation expansion, PBM reform and patient cost protections.
Sen. Ron Wyden's health advisers told Oregon's Prescription Drug Affordability Board on May 20 that the senator is building a multi-year federal effort to lower prescription costs and requested input from the state board. "Senator Wyden is a strong supporter of your work," Stacy Sanders, the senator's chief health adviser, said, adding that Wyden wants Oregon's example to help shape national policy.
Ramey Major, a health policy fellow working on Senate Finance, outlined three priorities: lowering manufacturers' prices (including options to build on the Inflation Reduction Act), reducing out-of-pocket costs and addressing middlemen such as pharmacy benefit managers, and supporting innovation so new therapies remain available. Major said the initiative could include international reference pricing and expanding Medicare's negotiating power into commercial markets.
Board members pressed staff on how federal initiatives would interact with state PDAB work. Vice Chair Dan Hartung asked whether Wyden's office tracked Virginia's recent veto of a PDAB-related bill; Sanders said the senator supports policies that let Medicare's negotiating power benefit broader markets and that bipartisan work is underway on PBM reform.
Wyden's team said it would circulate contact inboxes and gather Oregon public input for the project. "We are looking to craft opportunities for Oregonians to give us direct input," Sanders said, inviting the board and the public to contribute to the senator's policy development process.
Why it matters: Federal changes to negotiation authority, PBM rules or pricing benchmarks could alter the impact of state-level affordability work and shape the policy options the PDAB can recommend to the Oregon Legislature. The staff's outreach signals potential coordination opportunities for state boards and congressional staff as proposals develop.
Next steps: Wyden's staff will provide contact information for public input; the PDAB will continue its 2026 review cycle, and members said they will watch federal developments closely.
