Representative Lipinski Helps Seniors Win Victory in House with Passage of Bill to Improve Medicare Drug Program Legislation Requires Medicare to Negotiate for Better Drug Prices

Representative Dan Lipinski joined more than 255 of his colleagues in the House today to pass a bill that would require the government to negotiate for lower drug prices for Americans enrolled in the Medicare Prescription Drug Program. 

"All Americans are struggling with the ever-increasing costs of health care, but seniors have been especially hard hit," Lipinski said. "I have fought for this change in Medicare since I was first elected, so I'm very happy that we were able to pass this bill today that will help seniors get more affordable health care."

Congressman Lipinski is a cosponsor of H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Negotiation Act of 2007, which passed 255-170.  Some 231 Democrats were joined by 24 Republicans to pass the legislation, which now heads to the Senate.

"Medicare beneficiaries were done a disservice when the Medicare Prescription Drug bill passed with a provision that prohibited the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating prices with drug manufacturers," stated Lipinski.  "Today we fixed that."

"Negotiating for better prescription drug prices is a long overdue step toward making health care more affordable for Medicare beneficiaries," said Lipinski.  "I am proud to have helped pass this bipartisan legislation and I look forward to continuing to work for better and more affordable health care for our seniors."