Virginia Poised to Establish Prescription Drug Price Limits

New legislation aims to make thousands of medications more affordable for all Virginians.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 6:10am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After years of advocacy and multiple vetoes, Virginia is close to passing the Affordable Medicine Act, which would extend Medicare-negotiated prices for 25 drugs to all state residents and establish a Prescription Drug Advisory Panel to examine other high-cost medications and potentially set upper payment limits.

Why it matters

This legislation is a major win for Virginia consumers who have struggled with the high cost of prescription drugs. By leveraging Medicare-negotiated prices and creating a panel to address affordability challenges, the state aims to make vital medications more accessible for all Virginians, regardless of insurance status.

The details

The Affordable Medicine Act passed with bipartisan support in the state legislature. It would allow the Commonwealth to adopt the prices that the federal government has already negotiated for 25 drugs, making them more affordable for those enrolled in state-regulated health plans or who are uninsured. The bill also establishes a Prescription Drug Advisory Panel that could examine other high-cost medications and potentially set upper payment limits if they are deemed unaffordable.

  • The Affordable Medicine Act was recently passed by the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate.
  • Two previous versions of the bill were vetoed by former Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The players

Jared Calfee

State advocacy director for AARP Virginia, who explained that using Medicare-negotiated prices will allow more drugs to be made affordable faster.

Glenn Youngkin

The former Republican Governor of Virginia, who previously vetoed versions of the Affordable Medicine Act, arguing that such payment limits would stifle medical innovation and hurt access to lifesaving prescriptions.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We want to actually meaningfully impact costs as quickly as possible. We determined that the best way to do that was to use these prices that the federal government had already negotiated and determined. And so we just pull those prices down and make sure that everyone who's enrolled in a state-regulated health plan or is uninsured would have access.”

— Jared Calfee, State advocacy director for AARP Virginia

“Members on both sides of the aisle, whether they're in northern Virginia, far southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, southside, Richmond, wherever, are hearing from their constituents about this all the time. Because this is something that is impacting so many people.”

— Jared Calfee, State advocacy director for AARP Virginia

What’s next

The Affordable Medicine Act now awaits the signature of the current governor, who is expected to sign the bill into law.

The takeaway

This legislation represents a significant step forward in making prescription drugs more affordable and accessible for all Virginians, regardless of their insurance status or income level. By leveraging Medicare-negotiated prices and empowering a panel to address high-cost medications, the Commonwealth is taking a proactive approach to tackling the growing challenge of prescription drug affordability.