Bush: No Medicare price negotiations--vows veto on eve of House action

[elehhhhna]

Bush: No Medicare price negotiations
White House vows veto on eve of House action
PrintE-mailDisable live quotesRSSDigg itDel.icio.usBy William L. Watts, MarketWatch
Last Update: 5:23 PM ET Jan 11, 2007


WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- President Bush would veto Democratic legislation allowing the federal government to negotiate drug prices for seniors and others enrolled in Medicare's prescription-drug plan, the White House said Thursday.
Congressional Democrats have made price negotiations a top feature of their legislative agenda. The House is expected Friday to pass legislation that would lift the restriction on drug-price negotiations.
'If were presented to the president, he would veto the bill.'
— White House Office of Management and Budget
The Democratic bill would lift a noninterference clause in the Medicare prescription-drug law. Backers argue that the measure would allow the Health and Human Services Department to negotiate lower prices on a number of popular drugs, allowing the savings to be used to plug holes in coverage for many seniors.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bush-vows-veto-medicare-drug-price/story.aspx?guid=%7B661100E9-9856-4920-93A6-C5D20E03F6EE%7D

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

1. The VA negotiates prices

And I don't hear any cries of price controls from the republicans.
All medicare beneficiaries will suffer from the Big Pharma influence in Washington.

Hope the Dems win this one.

[Roland99]

2. Say what?!?! He WANTS to waste more taxpayer dollars?

Wow. The GOP has totally jumped the shark.

[spanone]

3. He's got to protect his pharma pals. What? Negotiate a price with Bushco? Surely you jest.