Treasurer Pieciak: How we can save Vermonters thousands on prescription drugs

February 2, 2026  |  By Mike Pieciak

Vermonters are counting on us to be bold in addressing today’s challenges. Rising property taxes, scarce housing, and skyrocketing health care costs all demand urgency,  courage, and shared resolve from leaders in Vermont. 

As state treasurer, I am committed to meeting this moment and using the full power of my office to invest in a future where Vermonters can afford to live with dignity, free from financial stress.  

Recently, I brought forward a proposal to strengthen this work, aimed at confronting  Vermont’s health care affordability crisis and one of its greatest cost drivers: prescription drugs.  

The bill H.577 would save Vermonters thousands each year on their over-the-counter prescriptions. It’s a crucial step toward making health care more affordable and accessible in Vermont. 

For too long, Americans have been ripped off by the pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies set their own prices and face little competition – leaving us paying far more than we should for the medications we need. These costs don’t just hurt Vermonters once. They ripple through our entire health care system, driving up premiums, straining family budgets, and worsening health outcomes when patients are forced to skip or ration their medication. 

We can – and frankly we must – do better. 

Under this legislation, Vermont would join a multi-state partnership, ArrayRx, leveraging states’ combined purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices. Vermonters, no matter their health insurance coverage, could access a free prescription drug discount card offering 80% off generic drugs and up to 20% off name-brand medications,  including treatments for chronic illness, mental health, and everyday medical needs. 

In states like Connecticut, which have already joined ArrayRx, residents have saved thousands of dollars each year on their prescriptions. This is the exact kind of bold, practical policy we should be advancing here in Vermont.

Legislative leaders and I have brought forward this proposal at an urgent moment.  Affordable Care Act subsidies have expired, forcing thousands of Vermonters to go without health insurance or into plans with narrower coverage and higher deductibles.  

As a result, more Vermonters will pay fully out of pocket for their prescriptions – money that could otherwise go to groceries, housing, and other basic needs. In the richest country in the world, no one should have to face these painful trade-offs. By passing this bill and joining ArrayRx, Vermonters will save money for their critical needs.  

In the Treasurer’s Office, we are excited about this program because it achieves many of our top priorities: lowering costs, fostering partnerships across states to improve government, and delivering a big impact without a big price tag.  

For the thousands of uninsured and underinsured Vermonters, and the tens of thousands more who will be kicked off their Medicaid under Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,”  this program provides a crucial safety net, ensuring patients can afford the medications their doctors prescribe and prioritize their health over their finances. 

Each year, Vermonters summon us to Montpelier with a simple, yet important mission:  make lives better, invest in our state’s future, and lower costs for workers and families.  This proposal achieves each of these goals without putting more pressure on taxpayers.  

I call on lawmakers to support H.577 and deliver meaningful savings for Vermonters.  Our office stands ready to work with you to make this proposal law. 

And I encourage Vermonters to make their voices heard by contacting their legislators to support this bill, a meaningful step toward a health care system that works for people,  not against them. 

Mike Pieciak is Vermont State Treasurer.