Capps Set To Vote To Require Medicare To Negotiate A Fair Price For Prescription Drug Beneficiaries

Capps Set To Vote To Require Medicare To Negotiate A Fair Price For Prescription Drug Beneficiaries

Today Congresswoman Lois Capps will vote to cut the cost of health care and improve access to life saving medications by requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiations Act, is the fourth piece of legislation considered this week as part of the Democrats ambitious "first 100 hours" legislative agenda.

"This legislation is a much needed first step in fixing the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit," said Capps. "Requiring Medicare to negotiate a fair price for these life saving prescription drugs will result in lower drug costs for millions of seniors and the disabled and increased access to critical medicines, while saving taxpayer dollars. Reforming Medicare Part D will ensure that this vital program will now work as it was intended - as a hand up for seniors and the disabled rather than a hand out for big pharmaceutical and insurance companies."

Capps is joined in her support for this much needed reform of the Medicare Part D prescription drug program by colleagues from both sides of the aisle and numerous advocacy organizations including: AARP, National Community Pharmacists Association, Association of Community Pharmacists, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Medicare Rights Center, Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, Families USA, and Consumers Union.

http://www.house.gov/list/speech/ca23_capps/morenews/pr070112_medicaredrugs.html