Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By: Greg Bluestein
Democrat Jon Ossoff seized on healthcare issues in his latest TV ad, promising to support legislation that would lower the cost of prescription drugs by letting the federal government negotiate prices with pharmaceutical firms.
In a neck-and-neck race with U.S. Sen. David Perdue, the Democrat’s 30-second spot released Tuesday focuses on a push to enable the Department of Health and Human Services to allow the Medicare program hash out prices of medications.
“It’s straight up corruption. Fighting corruption is my job,” said Ossoff, who owns an investigative journalism firm. “I approve this message because I’m not taking donations from corporate PACs, and I won’t let the drug companies rip us off any more.”
Republicans have resisted the policy, arguing that it would force cost-cutting measures by pharmaceutical firms that could scale back research programs that devise innovative treatments.
Perdue spokesman John Burke accused Ossoff of backing a “socialized” healthcare system that would lead to fewer doctors and higher costs, adding: “This kind of agenda during a pandemic isn’t just radical, it’s dangerous.”
See the ad, called ‘Negotiate,’ here: