by Mario Massillamany
Hoosiers know what it feels like when the cost of living rises faster than their paychecks. From groceries to home insurance, prices seem to inch higher every month. For seniors, the pain is even sharper. Prescription drugs, which are essential for health and quality of life, have become unaffordable for too many families across the state.
While President Trump’s economic agenda has helped lower taxes and revive growth, high drug costs continue to burden Indiana households, especially retirees living on fixed incomes. In Lake County, Marion County, and throughout the state, older Hoosiers are making tough choices between paying bills and filling prescriptions. This is not how the American Dream is supposed to end for those who worked their whole lives to earn it.
President Trump has taken action to address this crisis. He has made lowering prescription drug prices a central promise of his economic and healthcare agenda. His administration began the process of ensuring that Americans never pay more for the same medicines than people in other countries. Starting in 2026, Medicare will finally have the ability to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies over the cost of medications. This long-overdue reform will help millions of seniors save money and bring fairness back to the system.
However, Big Pharma is fighting back. The pharmaceutical lobby, one of the most powerful in Washington, is determined to protect its profits. Industry groups are supporting legislation like the EPIC Act that would strip President Trump of his ability to make healthcare affordable again by blocking Medicare’s ability to negotiate, so Big Pharma can keep prices high. Their goal is simple: to keep American patients paying more than anyone else in the world for the exact same products.
This is where strong leadership from Congress is needed. Indiana’s Senator Todd Young, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee and chairs its Health Care Subcommittee, is uniquely positioned to play a leading role. He can help make sure Washington delivers on President Trump’s promise to bring down drug costs for Indiana families.
Senator Young has built a career focused on fiscal responsibility and supporting policies that make life easier for families and small businesses. Now he has a chance to extend that record to one of the most urgent issues facing his constituents. According to one survey, 55% of Hoosiers report being worried about affording the cost of their medications. Nearly a third admitted they had rationed prescriptions because of rising prescription drug prices. The direct effect that prescription drug costs have on their health and financial security is too great to ignore.
Lowering drug prices is not only a healthcare issue. It is an economic one. When seniors spend less on prescriptions, they can spend more in local communities. That means stronger small businesses, more consumer confidence, and a healthier Indiana economy.
By standing with President Trump and rejecting Big Pharma’s attempts to roll back reform, Senator Young can deliver a tangible victory for the people of Indiana. Polling shows that more than 86% of Americans, including strong majorities of Republicans, support letting Medicare negotiate lower drug prices. Voters across Indiana are watching to see who will put patients before profits.
Senator Young has both the influence and the credibility to lead. As the leader of Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, his support could help cement reform and prevent pharmaceutical companies from undoing the progress already made.
Indiana’s seniors deserve real relief. They deserve a system that works for them, not for lobbyists. By helping to lower prescription drug prices, Senator Young can show once again that conservative leadership delivers results that matter to everyday people.
Standing with President Trump to make medicines affordable is not just smart politics. It is good policy that strengthens families and protects taxpayers.
Mario Massillamany is an attorney and the Chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party
