house Resolution No.182
Reps. Hoadley, Brixie, Hood, Kennedy, Chirkun, Stone, Rabhi, Sowerby, Liberati, Cherry, Ellison, Haadsma, Garza, Garrett, Tyrone Carter, Bolden, Sabo, Pohutsky, Robinson, Pagan, Manoogian, Kuppa, Brenda Carter, Hertel, Gay-Dagnogo, Cynthia Johnson, Hope, Wittenberg, Shannon, Clemente and Love offered the following resolution:
Whereas, Many Michigan residents and people across the United States struggle to afford the high cost of prescription drugs. Older adults are particularly affected by this issue, with nearly 9 out of 10 adults over the age of 65 taking at least one prescription drug and more than half taking four or more prescription drugs. Approximately 76 percent of older adults think prescription drug costs are unreasonable; and
Whereas, Federal laws currently prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from interfering in negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies and prescription drug plan sponsors under Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans. Federal law also prohibits the Secretary from requiring a formula or price structure for prescription drugs reimbursed under Medicare Part D. Under the existing structure, private health insurers negotiate pricing directly with drug companies; and
Whereas, According to recent polls, 80 percent of the public demonstrate strong, bipartisan support for allowing the federal government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries; and
Whereas, To address high prescription drug prices, the U.S. Congress is considering various proposals to allow the federal government to negotiate Medicare prescription drug prices; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the Congress of the United States to enact legislation allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.