To provide Medicare beneficiaries with access to prescription drugs at Federal Supply Schedule prices.

Provides that any individual entitled to benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance), or enrolled under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) shall be eligible to obtain prescription drugs at the prices specified in the Federal Supply Schedule.

Amends SSA title XVIII to repeal provisions prohibiting the Secretary of Health and Human Services from: (1) interfering with the negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies and prescription drug plan sponsors; or (2) requiring a particular formulary to institute a price structure for the reimbursement of covered Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) drugs.

Grants the Secretary, instead, authority similar to that of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other federal agencies and departments that purchase prescription drugs in bulk to negotiate contracts with manufacturers of covered Medicare part D drugs, consistent with the requirements and in furtherance of the goals of providing quality care and containing costs.States that the purpose of this grant of authority is to ensure that beneficiaries enrolled under prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans pay the lowest possible price.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4610 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4610

To provide Medicare beneficiaries with access to prescription drugs at 
                    Federal Supply Schedule prices.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 16, 2005

  Mr. Stupak 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 provide Medicare beneficiaries with access to prescription drugs at 
                    Federal Supply Schedule prices.

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

SECTION 1. ACCESS OF MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AT 
              FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE PRICES.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any individual who is 
entitled to benefits under part A, or enrolled under part B, of title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act shall be eligible to obtain 
prescription drugs at the prices specified in the Federal Supply 
Schedule.

SEC. 2. NEGOTIATING FAIR PRICES FOR MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ON 
              BEHALF OF MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES.

    Section 1860D-11 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-111) 
is amended by striking subsection (i) (relating to noninterference) and 
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 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other Federal agencies and 
departments 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>