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Senior Citizen Politics
House Votes Today on Negotiating Medicare Drug
Prices in Shadow of Bush Veto
Not much coverage in national news on important
vote for senior citizens
January 12, 2007 Its an important day for more
than 30 million American senior citizens who depend on the Medicare
prescription drug program to help lower their skyrocketing drug costs.
The House is expected to pass legislation that will mandate the
government negotiate prices for these drugs with the drug-makers, rather
than leaving this in the hands of the private insurance plans.
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New York Times Urges Congress Pass HR 4: Bargain
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January 12, 2007 - The New York Times today
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CMS Joins Those Saying Negotiating Drug Prices for
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January 11, 2007 The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services threw its hat in the ring with those saying the
Democrats' proposal for negotiating with drug companies for lower prices
will not accomplish its goal of lowering drug prices. The statement from
CMS further highlights what has become the focal point of debate the
legislation does not allow the establishment of a preferred list of
drugs, which would give the government negotiating power with the
companies that want their drugs on this list.
Read more...
Read more
on
Politics for Senior Citizens |
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In the last days before the vote there has been a
barrage of attacks on the Democrats proposal, including the promise of
a veto from President George W. Bush. The results of two studies were
also released that concluded giving the Health & Human Services
secretary the power to negotiate with the pharmaceuticals would not
result in savings. One of these reports was from the non-partisan
Congressional Budget Office and the other from the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services.
Still, powerful forces are lined up behind the
bill, including the AARP and most senior citizen advocacy groups, not to
mention a large majority of the voting public.
Interestingly, todays vote was being ignored by
almost every news sources except the Associated Press CNN carried the
AP story, Fox News had nothing, nor did MSNBC.
Below are links to the best national reports
available. They are written by the best two reporters covering the
Medicare beat Robert Pear of the New York Times and Kevin Freking of
the Associated Press..
AP Medicare legislation likely to pass House today; Bush threatens
veto
By Kevin Freking, Associated Press
Jan. 12, 2007 07:39 AM
WASHINGTON - A veto threat from President Bush isn't deterring Democrats
from pushing legislation that would require the government to negotiate
drug prices for Medicare patients.
The House planned to consider legislation Friday that would require the
secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct those negotiations.
The bill is one of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's six priorities for the new
Democratic-controlled House.
Read more of AP story
.
NY Times Bush Threatens Veto of Medicare Drug Bill, but a Senator
Is Seeking a Middle Ground
By
ROBERT PEAR
Published: January 12, 2007
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 President Bush threatened on Thursday to veto
legislation that would require the government to negotiate with
pharmaceutical companies to obtain lower drug prices for Medicare
beneficiaries.
But chances for passage of some version of the legislation increased
when a pivotal figure, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee,
said Congress should repeal a provision of the 2003 Medicare law that
prohibits such negotiations.
The chairman, Senator
Max Baucus,
Democrat of Montana, said he did not favor price controls, but did
believe that Medicare should be able to negotiate prices in discrete
areas where seniors need our help the most.
Read more at NY Times
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