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Durbin Says Congress Can Require More Drug Savings
Aug. 6 (Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration told Democratic senators that its agreement with drugmakers doesnt bar Congress from requiring the industry to absorb further cuts in government spending on drugs, Senator Dick Durbin said. White House aide David Axelrod told the senators as far as he is concerned there is no deal requiring the administration to protect drugmakers from further spending cuts as part of a U.S. health-care overhaul, Durbin said. He spoke during an interview taped for Bloomberg Televisions Political Capital With Al Hunt. Drugmakers agreed to $80 billion in drug-cost savings in negotiations with the Obama administration earlier this year as Congress began drafting health-care legislation. The administration also has negotiated cost-saving agreements with other areas of the health-care industry. All agreements come with an expiration date. Axelrod held a closed-door meeting with Senate Democrats today. Durbin said the White House aide denied a media report that quoted a drug lobbyist as saying the agreement requires the Obama administration to prevent Congress from imposing further drug savings. He told us there was no agreement in that regard, Durbin said. I dont think any, if many, of us feel bound by any understanding or agreement along those lines. Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2009-08-07 |
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