PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Ann Jackson, a Pittsford widow in the last stage of heart failure, wrote a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to lower the cost of prescription drugs, especially Eliquis.
“Who am I? Just a little old lady”
“And who am I? Just a little old lady who got upset over something and I think I should do something,” Jackson said.
Jackson sent her handwritten letter to the White House in September, challenging the president to confront major drug makers about high prices. She told News10NBC Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean that her supply of generic Eliquis from Canada could be cut off this month, which would double her costs.
“I thought I’d like to challenge you to do something that should not take much effort on your part,” Jackson said reading from the letter.
“Nobody seems to want to challenge him and they’re all afraid of him,” Jackson said.
“Doesn’t sound like you are though,” Brean said.
“No!” she said.
Jackson takes Eliquis, a blood thinner, twice a day and orders the generic version from Canada. Even with new tariffs, which she tracks in her checkbook, Jackson said it still costs half of what she would pay with insurance in the United States.
What we’ve investigated
As investigative reporter Jenn Lewke showed this week, a new U.S. Customs order could block generic drugs from Canada this month, so Jackson decided to write to the president.
“I am challenging you to go to big pharma and do something for the senior citizens of this country,” Jackson read quoting her letter.
When asked what she hoped the president would think if he read her letter, Jackson said, “Probably think the first thing, the way he judges people – crazy old lady.” She added, “And then maybe he’d say I’ll show her that I can do something,” Jackson said.
What the federal government has done
President Trump gave the United States what’s called most-favored-nation status to try to lower drug prices. One release said it saved patients more than $700 million.
Dr. Luca Maini, a health policy expert at Harvard University, said Jackson’s letter highlights a complex problem. Eliquis is one of 10 drugs where the government now negotiates prices, and out-of-pocket costs are capped at $2,100 with insurance. The favored-nation status reduced prices for Medicaid.
“But we don’t know how much Medicaid was paying beforehand and we don’t know how much Medicaid is paying now,” Maini said. “And yet we still see that patients have trouble affording this product.”
“I’m still not sure whether we’re paying less or more,” Brean said.
“To be honest, neither am I,” Dr. Maini said.
Are we on the right track? Dr. Maini answers here.
Brean scanned Jackson’s letter and emailed it twice to the White House press office, asking if the president read it.
“I want him to go to big pharma, to actually have generic medications available to everyone,” Jackson said. “People are having such a hard time. I feel so sorry for families with children where you need medication and you’re paying top dollar.”
Major drug makers globally make $300 billion in profits, and people in the United States spend more on prescription drugs than any other country in the world.
Jackson’s letter remains at the White House, waiting for a response.
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