April 14, 2026
Mark Hobraczk, legislative lead for the EACH/PIC Coalition, issued the following statement in response to Governor Abigail Spanberger issuing an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.B. 483 and urges legislators to pass the measure:
“We applaud Governor Spanberger for taking a thoughtful and responsible approach that prioritizes due diligence and accountability. Drug affordability policies must be evaluated based on whether they will actually improve access and lower what patients pay. Setting Medicare-based price caps that have already increased patient out-of-pocket costs under Medicare will do neither. We fully support the governor’s recommendation that the legislature not move forward until an initial study demonstrates ‘evidence of effectiveness’.
“Additionally, we have seen in other states that Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs) require significant investment, and H.B. 483 is projected to cost Virginia more than $8 million per year. Given that no other state PDAB has shown any savings to the state or patients, it is reasonable and necessary to fully assess the potential impact of a similar panel in Virginia before full implementation.
“We urge Virginia legislators to adopt the governor’s substitute and ensure that policies aimed at reducing the costs of prescription drugs in Virginia are fiscally responsible, focus on reducing patient costs, and protect patient access to care.”
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.
According to the Pioneer Institute, “federal drug price controls—intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs for seniors—are instead making many prescription drugs more expensive for Medicare beneficiaries. … Average out-of-pocket costs for the nine drugs rose 32 percent, from $74.51 to $98.42”
###
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.