Reps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, along with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.. introduced a bill Wednesday that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, according to The Hill.
The new legislation, introduced in both the House and Senate, would allow the HHS secretary to directly negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies in an effort to reign in medication costs for Medicare's prescription drug program. In addition, the HHS secretary could release a public report after the negotiation period to increase drug price transparency. Current law prohibits the secretary of HHS from negotiating with drugmakers.
The legislators met with President Donald Trump March 8 to give him draft language of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act, which has yet to receive the president's support, according to the report. The legislators expressed their disappointment that the measure has not received President Trump's endorsement.
"The truth is that we have made every possible effort to collaborate with you in good faith for the better part of this year," Mr. Cummings, wrote in a third letter to President Trump. "Unfortunately, our efforts were met with radio silence."
A powerful drug industry trade group, Pharmacutical Research and Manufacturers of America, opposes the legislation, arguing the bill grants government too much control over the medicines patients can access and would lead to price controls.