Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Pat Toomey
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) called on Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) to ensure proper committee process for the consideration of Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Susan Collins’ (R-Maine) insulin proposal.
In the letter, the Senators voiced concerns that the members of the Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Medicare program, would be circumvented in the consideration of a major change to the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
“As with most proposals regarding drug pricing, [Senators Shaheen and Collins’] proposed changes involve trade-offs and far-ranging implications, which both deserve frank discussion. The Senate Finance Committee has a history of entertaining such conversations through hearings and legislative mark-ups. This process allows members of our Committee to engage with stakeholders, hear from experts, evaluate the potential effects, and provide their own perspectives. It also offers the members of this Committee the opportunity to propose potential changes or alternatives for consideration that could achieve our mutual goal of ensuring affordable access to life-saving and innovative medications, both now and in the future, while respecting the federal taxpayer.
“We are concerned that it is [Senator Schumer’s] intention to bring the Shaheen-Collins proposal to the floor without first allowing committees of jurisdiction to weigh in. Given the importance of this issue, we request that the Senate Finance Committee hold a mark-up on this or any drug pricing legislation within the Committee’s jurisdiction before it is brought to the full Senate for consideration.”
The full letter is available here.