[W]ASHINGTON — Lawmakers frustrated by White House inaction introduced legislation Wednesday aiming to lower prescription drug prices under the Medicare program.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., joined a small group of Democrats outside the Capitol on Wednesday morning calling on President Donald Trump to back the measure. The Vermonters offered the bill along with two Democrats from Texas and Maryland. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is among more than a dozen co-sponsors.
The legislation would eliminate a part of current federal law that bars the secretary of health and human services from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices for the Medicare program.
Proponents argue the measure would bring down costs, including for high-price drugs that don’t have any competition in the market. If it passes, the federal government would begin negotiating prices in 2019.
Standing outside the Capitol, lawmakers backing the initiative argued that it is in line with Trump’s oft-touted goal to lower drug prices.
Trump campaigned on a proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies and has reiterated support for lowering drug prices since taking office.
Welch and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told reporters that they shared a draft of their bill with Trump during a March visit to the White House.
Cummings told reporters Wednesday that Trump “seemed enthusiastic at the time.” But despite repeated prodding in the seven months since the meeting, he said, the lawmakers have heard nothing from the White House on the proposal.
“Radio silence,” Cummings said.
A White House communications aide did not return a request for comment on the meeting and the legislation.
Welch also called on Trump to back their bill.
“President Trump, you were right, but you’re doing nothing,” Welch said. “It’s time to put up or shut up.”
Welch asserted that although pharmaceutical companies develop drugs that can treat symptoms and extend lives, families are “held hostage” by the costs.
“It is a legal stickup,” Welch said.
Sanders said it is inconsistent to prohibit Medicare from negotiating prices with drugmakers while other health care programs, like that managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, do negotiate.
“It is basically insane that right now you have one agency of government, the VA, paying substantially lower prices than Medicare,” Sanders said.
He said he agreed with Trump’s position on drug pricing on the campaign trail.
“Well, the campaign is over. He’s president now,” Sanders said. “We need him to join us in taking on the pharmaceutical industry.”
The bill faces opposition from representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, including the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade group.
A spokesperson for the group said in a statement Wednesday that the bill would take the Medicare Part D program “in the wrong direction.”
The group contends there is “significant price negotiation” within the Medicare program as it exists and that the proposal would replace that with “government-imposed price controls.”
“It could jeopardize access to critical medicines for seniors and people living with disabilities, ultimately reducing choice and restricting coverage,” the group said.
