Administration Opposes Democrats’ Plan for Negotiating Medicare Drug Prices
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 - The Bush administration said Sunday it effective against a Democrats’ top priority for the new Congress: law allowing the government to begin negotiations with other companies to ensure lower prices for other Medicare beneficiaries. In an interview, Michael O. Leavitt, the secretary of Health and Human Services, said he can see no prospect of a compromise on the issue. “In politics,” said Leavitt, “most specific questions such as these are a camouflage for a greater difference. Negotiations for a price other government does not work, unless you have a comprehensive program of government. Democrats say, they want the government to negotiate prices. What they really want is government-led health care. ” Federal decipher price negotiations, the structure of the entire Medicare drug benefit from the situation, both private competition, “said Leavitt. Dozens of plans, each State. Different bonuses and supplements and various drugs. The disease in 2003, the law explicitly prohibits the federal government on price negotiations or any other establishment of the list of preferred drugs. Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, which complies with the house, the spokesman, said that Parliament will approve the legislation lifting the ban in the first 100 hours, under democratic control. Senate Democrats have such a desire. The eight Democrats throughout the newly elected Senate say Medicare should have the power to negotiate with other makers. The government will negotiate big discounts on prices of drugs to our veterans, “said Senator chosen Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.” However, the company has received other Congresses, to negotiate, to the illegal exploitation of price lowest Medicare. Leavitt, the secretary general said he did not want more power to negotiate prices. “I do not think I can do a better offer of an efficient market,” he said. “We see major negotiations with other manufacturers, but they will be subject to other private projects, and not by the government,” said Leavitt. “A sound management of the market with a lot of competitors, pushed prices down. This is the magic of the marketplace. This implies that the government of our genius, could improve these lies the reality is a complex task. ” If a bill has been negotiating the Congress, it might veto a Presidency of the Republic, according to the details. , “Fox News Sunday,” Dan Bartlett, adviser to the president, said plans private competitors had already more than the cost of price controls would government. – Democrats have not exactly how Medicare would be negotiations with other companies. Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the assistant Democratic leader, has a bill states that the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide and operate one or more other Medicare plans, in addition to those already available. The bill sets the secretary to negotiate prices with drug manufacturers by the government projects. Ms. Pelosi is a co-sponsor of a bill similar. At a press conference last week, President Bush said he wanted to work with the new Democratic majority in Congress. “I think on a number of issues, we can find common ground,” he said. In December 2005, shortly before the termination of office, the predecessor of Mr. Leavitt, Tommy G. Thompson said he wanted Congress had given him the authority to negotiate prices for Medicare recipient, as he negotiated discounts of antibiotics during the Fear of anthrax in 2001. Health and pharmaceutical benefit manager using many tools for the price downwards medicine. Indeed, a producer you play off against another, “said James R. Lang, the former president of Anthem Prescription Management, medicines administered benefits for five million people. Insurers receive discounts in exchange for the use of a drug, and they can be handed over to the greatest threat to move a patient of a product similar to other competitors, “said Lang. The approach that Mr. Leavitt unacceptable that the name is already in use in other government programs. Under federal law, other policy-makers must be a discount or rebate in the amount of at least 15 percent of the average of most manufacturers named drugs, Medicaid, program for low-income people. From federal law, guarantees for rebates Department of Veterans Affairs, negotiations with the makers of safeguarding top discount guaranteed by law. |