Hello Everyone!
Are you ready for some football? It is always an odd feeling watching a Super Bowl absent of the Patriots or Tom Brady, but I suppose an occasional change of pace doesn’t hurt. Good luck to the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams in the big game on Sunday, and I hope you all have your favorite Super Bowl recipes lined up. If you are visiting friends, family, or your favorite local establishment, please plan to have a sober ride home. There is no excuse for drunk driving, and we need to work together to keep each other safe.
Another busy week in the books! On Tuesday I was honored to be joined by Dr. Peter Friedmann, Chief Research Officer at Baystate Health, on my local cable TV show, “Beacon Hill to The 413”. We had a comprehensive conversation on addiction, medication assisted treatment, and policies that help save lives. This is a topic that is so near and dear to families around Massachusetts and our country, I strongly encourage folks to tune in when they have an opportunity. Episodes of “Beacon Hill to The 413” are archived on my social media channels and website, so feel free to check out the show there!
This week, the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services launched a survey with the goal of better engagement and support for women Veterans. it comes at a critical moment when women are the fastest growing Veteran demographic. This survey is part of a boarder study to determine how the Commonwealth can better support its women Veterans, and I was proud to secure the funding for this study in the FY’22 budget. This survey can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/5n6j2ybd Please share with any women Veterans in your networks!
On Thursday the Senate met in formal session, where we took up and passed S.2651, An Act relative to pharmaceutical access, costs and transparency (PACT Act 2022). This legislation is a multi-pronged approach to obtaining better cost transparency from pharmaceutical companies and ultimately helping alleviate the prices that patients pay for their prescription drugs. Among other things, the bill caps out-of-pocket consumer insulin costs at $25 per 30-day supply. The conflict between obtaining vital prescriptions and the strain on a patient’s bank account must stop, and S.2651 is another positive step in that direction. I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation and look forward to continuing to support it as it moves to the House.
As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Sincerely,
John C. Velis