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(Washington, D.C.) Late Thursday evening, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross
(AR-04) offered an amendment in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
that would maintain prescription drug access to Medicaid beneficiaries,
while reducing the high cost of medicine. Medicaid is a health insurance
program for the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. Ross’s amendment
would calculate drug cost based on the ‘best price’ that the pharmaceutical
companies pay either in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Such
a reform would force pharmaceutical companies to offer the same low prices
to Medicaid that they offer in foreign countries.
While Democrats supported this important amendment, the measure failed
on a party line vote of 19-27.
“It is a shame the Republican leadership sided with the big drug companies
and defeated this amendment that would have helped protect access of the
poor, the disabled, and the elderly to medications they so desperately
need,” said Ross. “Instead, the Republicans have passed a bill that
will not reduce healthcare costs and will increase co-payments for Medicaid
beneficiaries.”
Ross also spoke and voted against at least $10 billion in proposed cuts
to Medicaid in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
“The Republican leadership has proposed at least $10 billion in cuts
to come directly from Medicaid, a program which provides critical health
care services for the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. Recent
numbers indicate that there are 717,000 Medicaid recipients in Arkansas,
or one in five people. Over half of Arkansas’s children are on Medicaid
or have received Medicaid services this year. Eight out of ten seniors
in nursing homes are on Medicaid.
“Today’s cuts will restrict access to necessary services and will ultimately
lead to increased healthcare costs at both the state and federal levels.
Health conditions, when left untreated, lead to costly hospital visits.
These budget cuts well position our nation for higher future healthcare
costs.
“Let me just say it’s about priorities: The Republican leadership wants
$70 billion in tax cuts to benefit the wealthy while cutting $10 billion
in healthcare for the poor, the disabled, and the elderly.”
Ross was appointed to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in
January. |
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