To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, as added by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to provide for negotiation of fair prices for Medicare prescription drugs.

Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as added by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority similar to that of other Federal entities that purchase prescription drugs in bulk to negotiate contracts with manufacturers of covered part D drugs, consistent with the requirements and in furtherance of the goals of providing quality care and containing costs.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3672 Introduced in House (IH)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 3672

To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, as added by 
 the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 
     2003, to provide for negotiation of fair prices for Medicare 
                          prescription drugs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2003

   Mr. Edwards (for himself, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. 
   Dingell, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Berry, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Stark, Mr. 
 Spratt, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Matsui, Mr. Waxman, Ms. 
 Schakowsky, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Obey, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr. Moore, 
  Mr. Michaud, Mr. Bell, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Davis of Tennessee, Mr. 
Stenholm, Mr. Frost, Mr. Levin, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Rodriguez, 
 Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Ross, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Mr. Green of Texas, 
   Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Waters, Ms. Eddie Bernice 
 Johnson of Texas, Mr. Hoeffel, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Hinchey, 
 Mr. Sandlin, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Ms. 
  Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Ruppersberger, Ms. 
  McCollum, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Majette, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. McNulty, Mr. 
  Lantos, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Price of North 
 Carolina, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Kleczka, Ms. Norton, Mr. Olver, 
 Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Baird, Mr. Owens, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Ms. 
 Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Ballance, Mr. Case, Ms. Solis, 
   Mr. Cooper, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi, Mr. Davis of 
 Illinois, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Schiff, and Mr. Meek of Florida) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
  Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, as added by 
 the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 
     2003, to provide for negotiation of fair prices for Medicare 
                          prescription drugs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. NEGOTIATING FAIR PRICES FOR MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

    Section 1860D-11 of the Social Security Act, as added by section 
101(a) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
Modernization Act of 2003, is amended by striking subsection (i) 
(relating to noninterference) and by inserting the following:
    ``(i) Authority to Negotiate Prices With Manufacturers.--In order 
to ensure that beneficiaries enrolled under prescription drug plans and 
MA-PD plans pay the lowest possible price, the Secretary shall have 
authority similar to that of other Federal entities that purchase 
prescription drugs in bulk to negotiate contracts with manufacturers of 
covered part D drugs, consistent with the requirements and in 
furtherance of the goals of providing quality care and containing costs 
under this part.''.
                                 <all>