Democrat signing legislation to cut drug prices was defeated Wednesday in a House committee, while three moderate Democrats voted against his party.
Repetitions Kurt Schrader
Walter (Kurt) Kurt Schrader Overnight Health Care: Nicki Minaj causes a stir for vaccines Energy and the Environment at Night. Presented by Climate Power. Democratic leaders vote climate actions amid division. (D-Ore.), Scott Peters
Scott H. Peters Overnight Health Care: Nicki Minaj Raises Rumor for Vaccines Moderate House Democrats threaten drug bill on House Overnight House Health Care panel: Biden defends presence of U.S. mandates vaccine MORE (D-California) i Kathleen Rice
Kathleen Maura RiceOvernight Health Care: Nicki Minaj Causes Rumor for Vaccines Moderate House Democrats threaten drug bill bill in House panel. (DN.Y.) voted against the measure to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower drug prices, a long-standing goal of Democrats.
The vote is a startling setback for the $ 3.5 trillion Democrat package. It is wanted that the price of medicines is a key way to pay for the package. Leadership may still add a version of the provision later in the process, but the move shows the depth of some moderate concerns.
The three moderates said they feared the measure would harm the innovation of pharmaceutical companies and pushed for a reduced rival measure. The pharmaceutical industry has also attacked the measure of Democratic leaders, known as HR 3, harming innovation.
The three lawmakers had long expressed concerns about the drug pricing measure, but actually voting for it in the Chamber’s Commerce and Energy Committee is an escalation.
A separate committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, on Wednesday advanced drug pricing measures, keeping the provisions in play for later in the process.
Energy and Trade Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (DN.J.), had implored the three legislators to vote in favor of the measure to at least keep the process going.
“Vote to advance today,” he told the moderates of his party. “Vote to continue the conversation.”
Still, Pallone said he is confident that some way to measure drug prices will come down to the final package. House legislation was already expected to change before the final version, given moderate Democratic concerns in the Senate. Senate Democrats are working on their own bill, which is not yet finalized, but is expected to be less far-reaching.
“I know he will have a drug price reform,” Pallone said of the final bill, noting that negotiations with the Senate would continue over the coming weeks.
Still, Wednesday’s move is a show of strength by the moderates.
Henry Connelly, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi Overnight on Money: Presented by Wells Fargo – GOP Senator: It’s “Foolish” to Buy Treasury Bills Democrats Want Maximum Pressure on GOP on Debt Roof Home is Not an Easy Way for Biden, the Democrats with the .5T package (D-California) said Democrats did not give up on including drug price measures.
“Polls are consistently showing immense bipartisan support for Democrat legislation on drug price negotiation, including the overwhelming majority of Republicans and independents who are fed up with Big Pharma charging Americans much more than they charge for them. drugs abroad, “he said in a statement later.” Delivering lower drug costs is one of the top priorities of the American people and will continue to be a cornerstone of the Build Back Better Act as long as work continues. between the House, the Senate and the White House on the final bill. “
Peters and Schrader cited both concerns about harming the ability of pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs, citing the industry record during the COVID-19 crisis.
Peters warned that “prices dictated by the government” under the bill would cause damage to “private investment” that backs drug development.
Schrader said the bill would mean “killing jobs and innovation that drives the cure of these rare diseases.”
Proponents said lawmakers were simply forced into the pharmaceutical industry.
“Representatives. Peters, Rice and Schrader prioritize the benefits of pharmaceutical companies over lower drug prices for the American people, particularly for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis,” he said. Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress, made progress. “Contrary to what they advocate, their opposition to the drug proposal threatens the entire president Joe Biden
Joe BidenNewsom Easily Overcomes Withdrawal Effort in California The Second Senior Official to Leave DHS in a WeekThe Build Back Better agenda, which Democrats have campaigned for for years and previously voted for. “
Saving drug pricing provisions is a key way to pay for other health care priorities in the $ 3.5 trillion package, including the expansion of Medicaid in the 12 GOP-led states that so far have been denied, the expansion of financial assistance under ObamaCare and the addition of dental vision. , and hearing benefits on Medicare.
The Congressional Budget Office found that HR 3 would save about $ 500 billion in ten years. According to what Senate Democrats can agree on, the final drug pricing legislation is expected to be less comprehensive, meaning it will reduce savings, though it’s unclear how much.
The Senate bill would still allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, but is expected not to include another provision that would limit drug prices based on lower prices paid in other rich countries. This provision has caused a particular setback for some moderate Democrats.
Allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices is very popular among voters, with nearly 90% support in a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation earlier this year. Many vulnerable House Democrats support the idea.
Updated at 5:18 p.m.