Rep. Krishnamoorthi Joined by FTC Chair to Talk About Lowering Costs

DES PLAINES, IL – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) hosted a fireside chat with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan to discuss high grocery prices caused by mergers, market consolidation in health care, housing costs, and other pressing issues facing Illinoisans and Americans. The conversation, hosted by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 881 in Des Plaines and moderated by Public Citizen Co-President Robert Weissman, shed light on the FTC’s ongoing investigations into mergers, as well as discussions on how the FTC and Congress can work in tandem to lower prices for critical goods and services.

“While the Biden Administration continues to do good work in helping lower costs for everyday Americans, market consolidation by large companies putting their interests first and the needs of Illinoisans second means that the cost of groceries and healthcare is still higher than it should be,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “In Congress, I have been proud to lead efforts to lower drug costs and hold Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) accountable for rising prescription drug prices. I look forward to continuing to discuss these issues, among others, with Chairwoman Khan as we work to lower the cost of living for everyone moving forward.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi has been a leader in Congress on the issue of PBMs, authoring the Neighborhood Options for Patients Buying Medicines (NO PBMs) Act and the PBM Sunshine and Accountability Act, both of which would hold pharmacy middlemen accountable by increasing public price transparency and prevent PBMs from discriminating against the local pharmacies many rural and older Americans depend on. Congressman Krishnamoorthi has also been outspoken on the dangers of greater market consolidation of grocery stores, including the ongoing proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger.

A link to the entire conversation between Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Chairwoman Khan is available here.