President Trump and Republicans in Congress Continue To Stand With Big Pharma and Oppose Medicare Negotiations
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3): the most comprehensive drug pricing reform in American history. The landmark bill dramatically lowers prescription drug costs for Americans by giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prices, and includes the largest expansion of Medicare benefits in decades. Coverage of this historic bill’s passage shows that House Democrats delivered on their promise to lower Americans’ drug prices and will continue to fight against Republican and Big Pharma-backed opposition in 2020.
New York Times: “The House, delivering on one of Democrats’ central campaign promises, passed ambitious legislation on Thursday to lower the rising cost of prescription drugs by empowering the federal government to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers.” [New York Times, 12/12/19]
Wall Street Journal: “The House of Representatives passed far-reaching legislation to lower drug prices, bolstering Democrats’ health-care message in the 2020 election campaign.” [Wall Street Journal, 12/12/19]
Washington Post: “In a remarkable show of unity, House Democrats passed their own legislation allowing the government to directly negotiate lower prices under Medicare’s prescription drug program.” [Washington Post, 12/13/19]
Politico: “The sweeping legislation delivers a long-sought Democratic priority that’s repeatedly run up against opposition from Republicans and powerful drug industry interests.” [Politico, 12/12/19]
The Hill: “The measure, which would allow the government to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, is one of House Democrats’ top priorities and is expected to be touted by vulnerable Democrats up for reelection next year.” [The Hill, 12/12/19]
Vox: “Democrats’ proposal would mark a major shift in the way prescription drug prices are set in the US, by empowering the federal government to directly negotiate drug prices for Medicare recipients as well as others purchasing the drug.” [Vox, 12/12/19]
Washington Examiner: “The Pelosi bill is meant to signal to voters that Democrats would keep the promises they made to voters to lower drug prices and that they are serious about doing so if voters elect a member of their party to the White House in 2020.” [Washington Examiner, 12/12/19]
Stat: “If the bill were enacted, it would likely represent the biggest pharmaceutical industry overhaul in American history.” [Stat, 12/12/19]
The Connecticut Mirror (CT): “The U.S. House on Friday approved an ambitious bill that would dramatically lower the cost of popular drugs, like insulin and other commonly prescribed medications, for Medicare patients and other Americans. All Connecticut House members voted for the bill, and three of them — Reps. John Larson, D-1st District, Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and Jahana Hayes, D-5th District — were original co-sponsors.” [The Connecticut Mirror, 12/13/19]
The Gazette (IA): “Finkenauer was one of 106 co-sponsors of House Resolution 3 — the Lower Drug Costs Now Act — which passed the House on Thursday on a vote of 230-192, with only two Republicans voting for it. It includes provisions to create vision, dental and hearing benefits and caps out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000.” [The Gazette, 12/12/19]
Colorado Politics (CO): “The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services would bargain with pharmaceutical companies over selected drugs…among other drugs not covered by the negotiation, there would also be a new mechanism to control the increase in drug prices, with manufacturers paying a rebate to the federal government if they exceed the rate. That provision stemmed from the Freedom from Price Gouging Act, a piece of legislation that U.S. Rep. Jason Crow introduced separately in October.” [Colorado Politics, 12/12/19]
Alabama Political Reporter (AL): “In Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, there are over 100,000 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and over 360,000 enrolled in private health insurance. Sewell said that all of these stand to benefit from H.R. 3. If it passes out of Congress and is signed by the President.” [Alabama Political Reporter, 12/13/19]