SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Continuing her efforts to help make health care more affordable, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, recently supported legislation that would allow the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to investigate dramatic cost increases of prescription drugs.

“We have seen several reports in the news about drug companies dramatically increasing drug prices, without offering any explanation for the change,” Manley said. “When the elevated cost of prescriptions are unexpected, it can put them in a difficult financial position.”

Manley supported House Bill 4900, which aims to prevent price gouging of generic or off-patent drugs that are used to treat a chronic or life-threatening condition. The bill would allow the Attorney General to investigate instances of an excessive price-increase that would be burdensome for consumers. Drug manufacturers would be subject to financial penalties if they are found to have needlessly increased the prices of these drugs.

“We have seen over and over again that the federal government is watching out for the health care industry, not patients and consumers,” Manley said. “This legislation helps prevent people in Illinois from being taken advantage of by large corporations that are purely looking to profit off of the health of people facing serious illnesses.”