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S 2257 108th Congress Senate Health Commerce Drug industry Drugs Finance and Financial Sector Insurance premiums Medical economics Medicare Prescription pricing Social Welfare

Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2004

Introduced: March 30, 2004 Introduced by: Durbin, Richard J. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 30, 2004
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mar 30, 2004
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2004 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as added by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for each year beginning with 2006, to: (1) offer one or more Medicare operated prescription drug plans nationally that offer qualified prescription drug coverage and access to negotiated prices, while allowing the plan to offer supplemental prescription drug coverage in the same manner as other qualified prescription drug coverage offered by other prescription drug plans; and (2) enter into negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce the purchase cost of covered Medicare part D drugs for eligible part D individuals, and encourage the use of more affordable therapeutic equivalents.

Requires the monthly beneficiary premium charged under such a plan to be uniform nationally. Makes the premium for months in 2006 $35. Bases the premium for months in succeeding years on the average monthly per capita actuarial cost of offering the Medicare operated prescription drug plan for the year involved, including administrative expenses. Allows for adjustment of such premium amount in case of supplemental prescription drug coverage.

What's happening now March 30, 2004

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1