This week, Congresswoman Kathy Castor, State Rep. Susan Valdés, and Tampa health care advocates held a press conference at Health Matters Community Pharmacy to call out Rick Scott for opposing legislation to lower prescription drug costs for Florida seniors.

See below for a roundup of coverage: 

Spectrum Bay News 9: U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor Highlights Senator Rick Scott’s Record on Drug Costs 

• Anchor: “Castor says that Scott voted against capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2000 per year, opposed capping the monthly cost of insulin, and says he voted against stopping big pharmacy companies from raising the cost of drugs faster than that of inflation. 

• Castor: “Because Rick Scott is on the ballot and it’s important that we send a message to him that we like these cost savings in Medicare, our neighbors need this money back into their pockets.”

Florida Phoenix: Democrats Take on Rick Scott for Voting Against Reducing Medicare Drug Prices

• Two Tampa Bay-area Democratic lawmakers joined a pair of pharmacists on Monday to blast GOP U.S. Sen. Rick Scott for his opposition to legislation pushed by the Biden administration that provides financial relief for millions of Floridians on Medicare, such as lowering drug costs and expanding health benefits.

• In 2022, Scott joined every other Republican U.S. senator in opposing the IRA, which now allows some Medicare recipients to have their annual out-of-pocket drug costs capped at around $3,500. Starting in January, those costs for patients on Medicare Part D will be reduced to $2,000.

• “These changes will do so much good for our community,” said Dr. Vondalyn Wright, a pharmacist and the owner of Health Matters Community Pharmacy in East Tampa.

• “That’s why it hurts me to see how Sen. Rick Scott voted against lowering the costs of prescription drugs for seniors. Let that sink in. Rick Scott represents the state with the highest percentage of seniors in the country and he voted against lowering the cost of prescription drugs. It’s wrong,” [said Dr. Vondalyn Wright].

FL Politics: Kathy Castor, Susan Valdes Slam Rick Scott Over Record on Insulin, Medicare

• The Florida Democratic Party held a press conference to slam the Naples Republican for voting down on legislation to reduce drug costs. 

• “He voted against capping the price of insulin. He voted against allowing Medicare to negotiate fair prices. He has never been on the side of working people,” Castor said. “He’s put Medicare in his sights. Rick Scott always sides with Big Pharma and the big drug companies over the best interest of our neighbors, and it’s time for us to do something about it.”

• But state Rep. Susan Valdés, a Tampa Democrat, said Scott’s personal history with Medicare shows he can’t be trusted with reforming health care. “Floridians shouldn’t be surprised by his behavior and his history of attacking health care,” she said. “We all remember: He oversaw the largest Medicare fraud in history and wrote the plan to end Social Security and Medicare programs.”

• “Rick Scott is one of the wealthiest members of Congress, but he doesn’t think my patients deserve to receive their medications without going bankrupt. That’s why we need a change,” [Dr. Vondalyn] Wright said. “We need a Senator who will fight to lower prescription drug costs and make health care more affordable. Rick Scott has turned his back on my patients and he needs to go.”