Klobuchar Advocates For Lower Senior Drug Prices

02/28/2007

(Rochester, MN) -- Joined by five of her fellow freshman Senators, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today called upon Senate leaders to make prescription drugs for seniors affordable by allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate fair prices under Medicare Part D. Under current law, the federal government is banned from negotiating with drug companies.

Klobuchar authored a letter to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus (D-MT) pushing for “an end to this ban and a fair, common-sense approach to delivering fairly priced drugs to our seniors.” The Senate Finance Committee is likely to consider the prescription drug negotiation issue in the near future.

“The bottom line is that seniors are saddled with inflated drug prices and a government that hasn’t helped,” said Klobuchar. “It is time to lift this useless ban, negotiate with the powerful pharmaceutical companies, and help seniors afford their expensive drugs.”

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) released a study Friday showing that 93% of Minnesotans support allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors. Hundreds of thousands of Minnesota seniors participate in the Medicare prescription drug program.

Joining Senator Klobuchar in sending the letter were Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey (D-PA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Jim Webb (D-VA).

To read the full text of the letter please click HERE.