Thursday, April 19, 2007
Kay Votes Against Drug Price Bargaining
The big pharmaceutical companies are surely celebrating their victory, but Medicare participants aren't. Here's the response from the AARP (emphasis added):
"Working Texans were poorly represented today in the U.S. Senate on this all important issue," said AARP-Texas State Director Bob Jackson. "Score one for the pharmaceutical industry and the power of their lobby."
Jackson said the bill would have put downward pressure on Medicare drug prices. Given the overwhelming support in both Texas and the U.S. for giving Medicare the power to negotiate, he said AARP will continue working so that the will of the people will eventually be heard.
"We are particularly disappointed with Sen. Hutchison's vote as this is a reversal from her previous vote in support of negotiating drug prices. Nearly 11,000 Texans called her offices and another 1,400 sent e-mails or faxes urging her to support the bargaining for lower prescription drug prices," said Jackson.
