Cap Prescription Costs in Your State

# Share the Price Gap

The most powerful thing you can do first is make the invisible visible. Most Americans know drug prices are high. Fewer know *how high* — or that the same drugs cost a fraction of the price in every other wealthy country.

Time: 3 minutes Difficulty: Low, share from your phone Impact: Awareness is the first step to political will

## What to Share

Pick one of these facts and share it to your preferred social platform:

Fact 1: "A vial of insulin costs ~$99 in the US and ~$8 in India. Same molecule. Same company. The difference is policy."

Fact 2: "The pharmaceutical industry spent $374 million lobbying Congress in 2022 — more than oil, defense, and tech combined."

Fact 3: "78% of Americans — including 65% of Republicans — support government negotiation of drug prices. Congress took 19 years to act on it."

Add your own story if you have one. Personal experience is more persuasive than statistics.

Tag @vigilhelp when you share so we can track collective impact.

Your member of Congress votes on federal legislation that directly affects what you pay at the pharmacy. The pharmaceutical lobby spends more than any other industry on lobbying — your voice is the counterweight.

Congressional offices track constituent calls by issue. When call volume on drug pricing spikes, it moves the needle.

# Call Your State Representative

Phone calls are the highest-impact constituent action. Legislative staffers log every call, and representatives pay attention when call volume spikes on an issue.

Time: 2–3 minutes Difficulty: Medium — you'll speak to a staffer (they're friendly) Impact: Direct pressure on a decision-maker

## Before You Call

1. Look up your representative: Go to your state legislature's website and enter your address. You want your *state* representative, not your federal one. 2. Check for pending bills: Search "[your state] prescription drug pricing bill" to see if legislation is currently being considered. Mentioning a specific bill number makes your call more impactful. 3. Review the script above. You don't need to memorize it — reading from a script is completely normal and staffers expect it.

## Tips

- Be brief. Staffers take many calls. State your name, your concern, and your ask in under 60 seconds. - Be specific. "I want lower drug prices" is vague. "I support HB-1234 to cap insulin copays at $35" is actionable. - Be polite. The staffer didn't write the policy. They're recording your position. - It's okay to be nervous. Everyone is the first time. It gets easier.

## After You Call

Mark this action complete. Your Impact is recorded, and you'll have contributed to the collective call count for this campaign.

# Attend a Town Hall or Committee Hearing

Showing up in person is the highest-friction, highest-impact action in civic engagement. When legislators see constituents in the room, it changes the calculus. Empty hearing rooms tell them nobody's watching. Full ones tell them the next election might depend on this vote.

Time: 1–3 hours (including travel) Difficulty: High — requires scheduling and physical presence Impact: Legislators and their staff remember faces in the room

## How to Find Hearings

1. State legislature website: Most state legislatures publish committee hearing schedules online. Search for your state's Health Committee or Health & Human Services Committee. 2. Town hall trackers: Organizations like Town Hall Project (townhallproject.com) aggregate upcoming public events with elected officials. 3. Local news: Search "[your representative's name] town hall" for upcoming public appearances.

## Talking Points

If you get the chance to speak (at a town hall Q&A or during public comment at a hearing), here are three evidence-based points:

Point 1 — The cost comparison: "Americans pay 2.5 times more for prescription drugs than citizens of other wealthy countries. This isn't because our drugs are better — it's because our pricing system is unregulated."

Point 2 — The consensus: "78% of Americans support government negotiation of drug prices. This isn't a partisan issue — 65% of Republicans agree. I'm asking you to represent that consensus."

Point 3 — The state opportunity: "The federal Inflation Reduction Act covers Medicare only. Our state has the authority to cap out-of-pocket costs, regulate PBMs, and increase pricing transparency for everyone else."

## After You Attend

Mark this action complete. You've done something that fewer than 5% of Americans ever do — shown up in person to participate in the process. Your Impact and Commendation progress have been updated.