AARP Texas - Wed, 18 Apr 2007
AUSTIN, Texas, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite the support of a majority of the U.S. Senate and nearly 90 percent of surveyed Texans, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn voted to block consideration of legislation that would give Medicare the power to bargain for lower prescription drug prices -- S.3, The Medicare Fair Prescription Drug Price Act of 2007.
Similar legislation, H.R. 4, passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.
TEXAS VOTED TO BLOCK S.3 GIVING MEDICARE THE POWER TO BARGAIN FOR LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES John Cornyn X Kay Bailey Hutchison X
"Working Texans were poorly represented today in the U.S. Senate on this all
important issue," said AARP-Texas State Director Bob Jackson. "Score one for the pharmaceutical industry and the power of their lobby."
Jackson said the bill would have put downward pressure on Medicare drug prices. Given the overwhelming support in both Texas and the U.S. for giving Medicare the power to negotiate, he said AARP will continue working so that the will of the people will eventually be heard.
"We are particularly disappointed with Sen. Hutchison's vote as this is a reversal from her previous vote in support of negotiating drug prices. Nearly 11,000 Texans called her offices and another 1,400 sent e-mails or faxes urging her to support the bargaining for lower prescription drug prices," said Jackson.
David Sloane, AARP Director of Government Relations, added: "Pharmaceutical manufacturers have given more than $20 million in campaign contributions for the last two cycles alone. They followed that up over the last few months with misleading polling and disinformation aimed at scaring older Americans into preserving the exorbitant profits that pharmaceutical companies make on brand name drugs. Senators should know this issue is not going away. No amount of campaign money can trump the will of 90 percent of Americans."
AARP notified the 110th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its 38 million members, and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members. "We believe people make the right choices when they understand the issues and position taken by their elected officials. AARP intends to ensure that its members get that information," Jackson concluded.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Despite the outcome in the Senate today, prescription drug affordability remains a high priority for AARP and its members. Because an overwhelming majority of Americans support S.3, AARP is confident this issue will be back. The association will continue to fight to make prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans. While millions of older Americans and persons with disabilities have been helped by Medicare Part D drug plans, more should be done to put downward pressure on drug costs. AARP will continue to support legislation that would allow Americans to safely and legally import lower-priced prescription drugs from abroad, and legislation to help bring generic drugs to market sooner, including generic versions of biologic therapies. AARP is also working to pass legislation that would reduce the asset test that prevents low-income people from qualifying for extra help under the Medicare drug program.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.
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