WBAL Radio
By Chris Cichon
August 14, 2024
Former Maryland Gov., and Maryland Senate candidate, Larry Hogan hit the campaign trail Wednesday to highlight action to lower prescription drug prices.
While Democratic nominee Angela Alsobrooks has been highlighting the issue of abortion and control of Congress in her messaging to voters, Republican nominee Larry Hogan spoke Wednesday about health care and the cost of prescription drugs.
Hogan was at Northern Pharmacy and Medical Equipment in northeast Baltimore to talk bread-and-butter, bipartisan issues.
“I think the main issue for voters is affordability, and one of the things that they’re most concerned about is the affordability for their prescriptions,” Hogan said. “What can we do to try to make things more affordable? How do we make it so that they can actually continue to do these businesses?”
The independent pharmacy employs 150 people at two locations, and its owners said rising costs and shrinking insurance reimbursements are affecting operations.
“(If) we go out of business, there’s an empty building sitting in the middle of the city. Who’s going to fill it? It’s going to be a vacant building in a neighborhood,” said Pepper Mintz, the pharmacy’s president and chief operating officer. “We’re open seven days a week. If we’re not here, where would (customers) get it? A lot of the chains don’t cover medical supplies through insurance.”
While highlighting the need for lowering prescription drug costs, Hogan was asked if the change at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket will change his approach.
“Not really. We’re out there every day talking to people in every corner of the state,” Hogan said. “We’re very pleased with the enthusiasm and our campaign is focused on what we can do to represent all Marylanders.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott was critical of Hogan Tuesday as he joined a roundtable hosted by Maryland Democrats. Scott claimed that Hogan took Maryland’s largest city off the map when he canceled the Red Line transit project. He also said Hogan refused to talk with him for months.
Hogan told reporters that he didn’t hear the mayor’s comments, but said that it sounded like the group was “scared.”
“Sounds like they’re pretty scared and they’re going to continue to criticize me,” Hogan said. “I left office last January with a 77% job approval so the transportations projects he’s talking about, about 80% of the people in the state don’t want it.”
