Senate Democrats on Sunday passed a sweeping healthcare, tax and climate change bill that will allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs — a significant political win as the party tries to send a message before the midterm election that it is delivering on its promises. The drug-price plan is the centerpiece of the Democrats’ bill, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime proponent of Medicare price negotiations, called that portion of the bill “pretty weak.”But Democrats rejected his amendment Sunday to strengthen the Medicare provisions. Medicare was barred from negotiating drug prices in 2003, with the establishment of the Medicare Part D drug program. But after secret negotiations between Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), they resurrected portions of the bill last month.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 08, 2022 06:00 UTC