May 19, 2026
Mark Hobraczk, legislative lead for the EACH/PIC Coalition, issued the following statement in response to Governor Abigail Spanberger’s veto of H.B. 483 / S.B. 271:
“Governor Spanberger made the right decision for patients and taxpayers by rejecting an expensive and ineffective policy that has failed to deliver meaningful results in other states.
“This veto reflects a commonsense recognition that Prescription Drug Affordability Boards are not a patient-centered solution to prescription affordability challenges. Patients deserve reforms grounded in evidence and real-world patient experience, not policies that expose patients to treatment disruptions while failing to lower their costs.
“We thank Governor Spanberger for rejecting a flawed approach and prioritizing evidence, fiscal responsibility, and policies that put patients first.”
Findings from the EACH/PIC Patient Experience Survey 2.0 further underscore the importance of this approach. Patients consistently report that affordability challenges are driven by insurance design, cost-sharing structures, and access barriers, not solely by the price of a medication. Policies that focus narrowly on price without addressing these underlying drivers may fall short of delivering meaningful relief for patients.
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The Ensuring Access through Collaborative Health (EACH) and Patient Inclusion Council (PIC) is a two-part coalition that unites patient organizations and allied groups (EACH), as well as patients and caregivers (PIC), to advocate for drug affordability policies that benefit patients.