Former New Hampshire senator Kelly Ayotte is joining the ranks of a start-up company whose aim is to lower the cost of prescription drugs by negotiating directly with drug companies.
Blink Health announced Monday that Ayotte has been appointed as a senior adviser to the company, citing her experience as a lawmaker and recent tenure as a counselor to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch during his Senate confirmation process.
“Kelly’s distinguished career and dedication to public service uniquely qualifies her to provide strategic advice and counsel to Blink Health’s senior management team,” said the company’s Executive Chairman William Doyle in a statement.
Ayotte will serve on a board advising Blink’s management and board of directors.
In a statement, Ayotte said the high cost of prescription drugs and a “drug price crisis” motivated her to join the company.
“Key drivers of change will be technology and innovation that provide transparency, lower prices and improved pharmacy experiences,” Ayotte said.
Blink Health works by essentially bypassing health insurance companies, allowing customers to see what drugs cost at different pharmacies in the area. They boast of low prices that come by negotiating directly with the pharmaceutical companies themselves.
The company works mostly selling generic drugs, which help keep overall prices low, and works with 57,000 pharmacies across the nation, including ones in New Hampshire.
(Ella Nilsen can be reached at 369-3322, enilsen@cmonitor.com or on Twitter
@ella_nilsen.)