Good news, the prescription drug plan passed Ways & Means, despite Problem Solver Stephanie Murphy's
No vote.
This means that despite the 3 centrists killing it off in the Energy and Commerce Committee, it still can be part of the final bill.
The hard part of that is you now have 4 Dems on record against it, so they now have the votes to scupper the entire bill on final vote if the drug price negotiation part is in it.
More here:
Three Democrats block drug pricing bill in health panel
Failed vote won’t stop policy agenda, House leaders say
(Updates throughout with results of House Ways and Means vote.)
https://about.bgov.com/news/drug-pricing-bill-in-jeopardy-as-moderates-vote-against-it-1/
House leaders vowed to press ahead with their health-care agenda Wednesday, even though enough Democrats oppose a key drug-pricing proposal to sink its chances in the House.
Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), Scott Peters (D-Calif.) and Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) joined Republicans in opposing a bill to allow the government to demand lower prices from drugmakers and cap price increases on some medicines at the rate of inflation. The measure failed to advance in the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a 29-29 tied vote.
“We have to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients and preserve the American system of private investment in innovation,” said Peters. He, Schrader, and Rice sought passage of a similar but narrower drug pricing measure. A similar drug pricing proposal advanced later in the day at the House Ways and Means Committee on a 24-19 vote but was opposed by Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.).
The Democratic opposition raises questions about whether party leaders have enough support from their own members for a domestic policy package that includes drug pricing provisions. The drug proposal is meant to offset some of the cost of Democrats’ broader health agenda, which includes expanding Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.
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