Increasing Access to Drug Pricing Data

Last week, I introduced bipartisan legislation to increase transparency in the drug pricing system.

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) are independent advisory commissions tasked with providing data analysis and recommendations to Congress on the programs. Currently, these independent advisory commissions do not have access to certain drug pricing data, such as information about drug rebates, in order to make recommendations to Congress on how to improve the Medicare and Medicaid programs and lower prescription drug prices.

My legislation, the Payment Commission Data Act, gives MedPAC and MACPAC access to drug pricing data so the industry experts on the commissions have access to the information needed to do their important work and provide the best possible recommendations to Congress. Additionally, by providing access to this drug pricing data, it will increase transparency and provide more clarity in the drug pricing system. This will help create better policy reforms to lower prescription drug prices for patients.

As the only pharmacist in Congress, lowering prescription drug prices is one of my top priorities. I believe the biggest impact we can have on this issue is increasing transparency in the drug pricing system. As I always say, sunlight is the best disinfectant. This legislation will work towards this goal.

Celebrating the Girls Scouts

It is a great honor to represent the birthplace of the Girl Scouts. In recognition of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America's 107th birthday, I have introduced a resolution that celebrates the opportunities the program provides for girls and women across the nation.

Since the founding of the Girl Scouts in Savannah on March 12, 1912, the program has built courage, confidence and character. Alumnae of the program have blazed trails for women and have created a better world for all of us.

I'm proud to introduce this resolution celebrating this great organization again this year.

From our nation's Capitol CCIII

Monday, March 18, 2019: After yet another great St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Savannah, guess where I’m at bright and early this morning. You guessed it- on an airplane! This morning I’m headed to the West Coast- specifically to San Francisco for an innovation policy tour with the Ripon Society, a centrist public policy organization based in Washington. One of the goals of the Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great including keeping our nation secure, taxes low and having a smaller, smarter federal government. The companies that we are visiting today and tomorrow fall under the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce (E&C) Consumer Protection and Commerce (CPAC) Subcommittee on which I serve. Because San Francisco is three hours later than us on the East Coast, I arrive before lunch and our first visit is with Visa as we learn about the innovation underway to make transactions easier and enhance security. While the ease in which credit card processors such as Visa are making transactions possible is amazing, their focus on security is just as important as they play an important role in the privacy and security issues that we are trying to address in the CPAC Subcommittee. Next, we head to Verizon’s Innovation Center for a demonstration on the emerging technologies that they are developing to aid society and discuss the public policy that promotes them.

Rep. Carter touring Verizon

Afterwards, we travel to IBM Watson to learn about their data analytics using Spark big data technology. The world of artificial intelligence (AI) is amazing and at the same time scary in many ways. This is what makes our job on the CPAC Subcommittee so difficult- how do we require privacy and security without stifling innovation? Our final visit today is with Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG). Have you ever thought of taking an Uber helicopter to your next destination? The technology is closer than you think. Of course, Uber is also involved in electric scooters and bicycles as well as driverless vehicles.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019: Our first visit today is with Salesforce, an American cloud-based software company that provides customer relationship management (CRM) products and that is heavily involved in recruiting veterans into their workforce. Afterwards, we visit Target to learn of the entrepreneurs in residence that are hired by Target to develop interconnected home devices products to market. Known by most as a major retailer with the iconic white dog with a red bullseye as their mascot, I was somewhat surprised to learn of the impressive innovation that Target is involved with. Next, we head to Amazon for a visit to Amazon Go, a checkout-less shopping experience where you walk into a store and walk out with your selection that is automatically charged to your account through technology in your smart phone. No waiting in line at the checkout counter. Walk in and walk out. This is too easy! Our next stop is Dropbox, a file hosting service that offers cloud storage, file synchronization, personal cloud and client software. Although most would consider Dropbox to be a big company, they are very concerned about being pushed out of the market by the bigger players, i.e. Google, Facebook, etc., should regulations become too stringent. In fact, everyone we visited is concerned with the impact on future start-ups that overregulating could bring, highlighting the importance of our work in Congress and particularly on the CPAC Subcommittee. Next, we visit Ubisoft, a French videogame company that developed the Rocksmith series, teaching millions of people to play guitar and bass.

Rep. Carter touring Ubisoft

The videogame arena is perhaps an area where we should be exerting more influence as the gruesomeness of some of these games is questionable. However, to their credit, Ubisoft also markets children’s videos that can help children learn dance moves. As a grandfather, I look forward to watching these and helping teach my twin granddaughters how to dance as can be witnessed in this link. Our final visit is with AirBnB as we have the pleasure of meeting with one of the three co-founders who explained to us how the company got started when he and his two roommates saw their rent increase 25% in the San Francisco area and decided to rent out their rooms during a sold out convention to try to make some extra income.

Rep. Carter pictured with Nathan Blecharczyk, one of the founders of AirBnB

Because they lacked enough furniture at the time, they simply put an air mattress on the floor to serve as a bed and hence, AirBnB. After being in San Francisco less than 36 hours, I head to the airport and take a red eye flight back and arrive in Savannah at 8AM Wednesday morning.

Wednesday, March 19, 2019: I’m grateful to have the opportunity to speak to the Georgia Marine Business Association at their luncheon in Thunderbolt today and bring them up to date on issues impacting the coastal waterways.

Rep. Carter speaking to the Georgia Marine Business Association

Of course, they have many questions concerning my recent appointment to the Select Committee on Climate Change and the products we envision coming out of the committee. After a phone interview with WTOC TV to discuss my upcoming roundtable discussion tomorrow on homelessness in our community, I head to US Renal Care in downtown Savannah for a tour and to discuss legislation that I am sponsoring, the Charitable Premium Assistance Act, that will allow charitable organizations to pay for a patients premiums, allowing them to stay on their insurance and receive care.

Thursday, March 20, 2019: I’m excited this morning to be hosting a roundtable discussion on homelessness and housing at the Savannah Technical College and to have over 30 people representing numerous organizations in our community attending. I am especially pleased with the diversity of the groups attending including representatives from the City of Savannah, Chatham County, Gateway Behavioral Health Services, Habitat for Humanity, area police departments, religious and volunteer groups.

Rep. Carter leading a roundtable discussion on homelessness and housing

These important issues require collaboration and cooperation among the many fine groups and agencies in our community and I am glad to have their input on what we can do in Washington to make their jobs easier. A link to coverage of the event can be found here. Afterwards, I head to the Senior Citizens Center in Savannah to help celebrate March as Meals on Wheels Month. Along with my childhood friend, Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach, we have the opportunity to deliver meals to two clients and as Mayor DeLoach so accurately says of the experience “we got a lot more out of it than they did.”

Rep. Carter and Mayor DeLoach participating in Meals on Wheels

A link to coverage of this event can be found here. Later, I head to Richmond Hill High School in Bryan County where I have the opportunity to participate in a student town hall with some of the most insightful, astute and sharp young people around.

Rep. Carter participating in a town hall with Richmond Hill High School students

As a guest of Mayor Russ Carpenter (who doubles as a teacher at the high school), I am encouraged to interact with this next generation of our countries leaders. Next, I have a phone interview with a freelance writer to discuss the Select Committee on Climate Change before heading to Augusta for the night.

Friday, March 22, 2019: I’m in Waynesboro at Plant Vogtle this morning as we welcome former Texas Governor and current Secretary of Energy Rick Perry for a viewing of the top head placement on the Unit 3 containment vessel. Weighing just under 2 million pounds, the placement of the ring within 1/32^nd of an inch is an engineering marvel.

Rep. Carter at Vogtle for the placement of the top of the containment vessel for Unit 3

Along with former Georgia Governor and current Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, current Governor Brian Kemp, 12^th District Congressman Rick Allen, and other dignitaries, we also tour the Unit 4 nuclear island. Construction of Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle employs more than 7000 workers onsite and is currently the largest jobs producing construction project in the state of Georgia. Later, I had an interview with WSAV to discuss the special counsel’s report. A link to my interview can be found here.