Carrie Buck opposed effort to lower prescription drug prices in Nevada

Carrie Buck, a Republican candidate for Congress in Nevada, is campaigning on lowering costs even though she opposed efforts to cut prescription drug prices.

Buck has served in the Nevada Senate since 2020. She is now vying to represent the state’s 1st District, which includes portions of Las Vegas and Henderson.

In 2023, Buck opposed Assembly Bill 250, which would have extended Medicare drug savings to all Nevadans. The cost of several medications is capped for Medicare recipients at prices negotiated by the federal government. Price-capped drugs include medications for diabetes, blood clots, heart failure, and autoimmune diseases.

Former Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall championed the bill and told the Nevada Independent that passing it was a moral imperative.

“People have the right to have access to medication at a reasonable price,” Marshall said. “Many people in Nevada feel the pressure of inflation, [are] still reeling from the pandemic, are trying to get through their lives. We are obligated as public servants to extend a hand and say, ‘I am there with you.’”

In 2024, Buck defended her vote against the legislation but did not elaborate on exactly why she opposed it.

“Anytime you put caps on things, I really worry about the greater impact,” Buck said.

Assembly Bill 250 passed the Nevada Legislature but was vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. Democrats plan to reintroduce the bill.

Buck was also an opponent of the 2021 Inflation Reduction Act, the law that empowered the federal government to negotiate lower drug costs. The law helped more than 140,000 Nevadans afford life-saving prescriptions. Buck said it was a “disaster.”

Buck is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Dina Titus, who supported the Inflation Reduction Act and praised its cost-cutting measures.

“This historic legislation will make a difference for families by lowering health care costs, cutting prescription drug prices, and reducing the price of energy,” Titus said in a statement when the law was passed.

Buck’s campaign is endorsed by President Donald Trump.