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News
from Rep. Stephanie Herseth
HERSETH VOTES TO LOWER MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES FOR SENIORS January 12, 2007, Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth voted today to lower drug prices for the thousands of seniors in South Dakota who are enrolled in Medicare drug plans. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4, The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, which requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to achieve savings. This legislation, which passed with strong bipartisan support, would change a provision in the 2003 Medicare prescription drug bill that explicitly bars drug price negotiation by the Secretary of HHS. Herseth said, “I believe the voluntary prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part D is unnecessarily costly because the federal government is prohibited from negotiating lower prices for its beneficiaries. Medicare should be able to use its bargaining power to achieve lower drug prices for seniors in South Dakota and around the nation.” Recent public opinion polling indicates that over 90% of Americans are in favor of granting price negotiation authority to Medicare. Herseth added, “I am pleased that this legislation is part of the first 100 hours agenda undertaken by the House of Representatives as the new Congress opens. I have long said that the cost of prescription drugs is a serious issue for all Americans, particularly seniors who rely on the Medicare program for their drug coverage and often live on fixed incomes. I am hopeful that the Senate will take up this legislation and that we will work together to send a good bill to the President.” # # # Herseth is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats committed to fiscal discipline and strong national security, and is co-chair of the Rural Working Group, which is dedicated to raise the profile of issues important to rural America. She also serves on three committees vital to South Dakota’s interest: Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs and Resources.
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