Pappas Fights Price Gouging on Crucial Health Care Supplies

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is working to prevent price gouging and profiteering on vital medical equipment by preventing doctors from selling health care supplies at a cost higher than the original retail value.

“Improving and streamlining our health care system is a priority for me, and I can’t stand by while industry insiders turn a profit by price gouging innocent people and businesses on critical medical supplies,” Pappas said. “Affordable health care is a right. My legislation will crack down on opportunists who are leveraging people’s medical needs for their own gain.”

Pappas introduced House Bill 5616 which restricts the resale price of medical equipment to its original retail value to prevent health care professionals from profiting off their access to lifesaving supplies. A 2019 report from Grand View Research on the sale of long-term medical care equipment showed approximately $50 billion in that year alone. The demand for this equipment is often extremely high due to the growing number of seniors with chronic illnesses and competitive resale bidding ratchets up costs in the whole market.

“High resale prices of medical equipment drive up the original retail costs and make it very difficult for average customers to afford what they need,” Pappas said. “People in our community don’t deserve to be forced to overpay for something this important just so big businesses can turn a profit. It’s bad for our economy, bad for our health care system and average Illinoisans are paying the price.”