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UPDATE ON DRUG PRICING LEGISLATION AS CONGRESS RECONVENES
Congress reconvenes this week after a monthlong summer recess
and begins what likely will be a final push toward overhauling
prescription drug prices, but lack of consensus on the underlying
policy and the intensifying 2020 presidential campaign will
complicate efforts to advance a bill to President Donald
Trump's desk.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is finalizing long-awaited legislation centering
on price negotiation for drugs that lack competition, and she could
introduce legislation as soon as this week. But the secretive process – even to most members
of the Democratic Caucus – is causing frustration. Progressive lawmakers say
the speaker's plan may not go far enough on calling for
government negotiation with manufacturers over prices.
Also in the House, the bipartisan leadership of the Ways and
Means and Energy and Commerce committees are trying to work out
details of a separate bill, which could see committee votes
in the coming weeks. That effort focuses on the Medicare Part D
prescription drug benefit, including creating an out-of-pocket cap
for beneficiaries. Other provisions, such as cracking down on
surprise medical bills, could be attached, too.
While the House committees' effort may be running in
parallel with Pelosi's legislation, it's not clear if the
two are coordinated.
Overshadowing any drug-pricing legislation – as well as
efforts to strike bipartisan agreements on trade, guns and spending
issues – is the potential of a House-led impeachment
investigation of Trump. Democrats on the Judiciary Committee are
scheduled to
vote this week to step up their inquiry as more rank-and-file Democrats are now calling
for a formal impeachment investigation.
It's challenging to see Trump and Pelosi negotiating policy
differences on prescription drugs at the same time the speaker is
ramping up an impeachment inquiry against the president.
There's also some sentiment among House Democrats not to give
Trump a policy victory on drug prices that he would use in his 2020
re-election, especially if that bill falls short of progressive
demands, such as government price negotiation over all drugs.
The Senate is further along in developing drug pricing
legislation. Both the HELP Committee and Finance Committee earlier this summer approved
separate measures addressing prescription costs.
Drug industry critic and Finance Chairman Charles
Grassley, R-Iowa, pressured committee Republicans to back his
effort, and he's expected to step up calls on Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to bring legislation to
the Senate floor.
But nine Republicans voted against Grassley's bill in
committee, underscoring the deep divide among GOP senators over the
chairman's approach, which includes creating inflationary caps
on price increases. While some senators pine for the old-school
approach of bringing up legislation and allowing the Senate to work
its will, McConnell has said he's not scheduling votes on a
bill that divides Republicans and unites Democrats.
With Congress reconvening, there will be a lot of noise and fury
in the coming weeks over drug pricing legislation as advocates try
to advance an overhaul. Trump could corner Republican lawmakers by
endorsing a bill backed by Democrats, or legislative paralysis
could continue as escalating partisanship grips Washington ahead of
the 2020 elections.
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