A House GOP bill to provide Rx drug coverage under Medicare could be marked up as soon as June 15.

House Republicans are understood to be planning an expedited markup schedule for a GOP bill expected to be introduced the week of June 12, with a House Ways & Means Committee markup possibly being scheduled for June 15.

Rep. Thomas (R-Calif.) has recently clarified some of the provisions in his drug benefit proposal in preparation for introduction of a bill (¹ Also see "Medicare Rx Insurers Would Receive 25%-30% Subsidy Under GOP Plan" - Pink Sheet, 12 June, 2000.).

Three Congressional hearings on prescription drug issues are planned for the week of June 12. The first will be a June 13 House Ways & Means Committee hearing on a Medicare drug benefit. Ways & Means Committee Chairman Archer (R-Tex.) said that the committee would explore various plans during the hearing, but "especially the House Republican plan."

The Commerce/Health & Environment Subcommittee will also have a hearing on Medicare Rx legislation on June 14. On the Senate side, the Health Committee will hold a June 13 hearing on prescription drug pricing.

Testifying on the first panel will be four members of Congress: Sens. Gorton (R-Wash.), Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Johnson (D-S.D.) and Rep. Sanders (I-Vt.). Gorton is sponsoring a bill that would forbid the sale of pharmaceuticals at higher prices in the U.S. than in other countries (² Also see "Rx Trade Negotiations Tied To International Pricing Bill By Sen. Gorton" - Pink Sheet, 1 May, 2000.).

Dorgan, Johnson and Sanders are sponsors of a bill that would allow prescription drugs to be imported into the U.S., and which was the model for Health Committee Chairman Jeffords' (R-Vt.) own drug importation bill (³ Also see "Maine Rx Pricing Law Seeks FSS-Level Prices By October 2001" - Pink Sheet, 15 May, 2000.). Johnson also will likely discuss his bill that would increase access to generic drugs under federal healthcare programs.

Three professors will also testify: Christopher Rhodes (University of Rhode Island), Patricia Danzon (University of Pennsylvania) and Stephen Schondelmeyer (University of Minnesota).

The third panel will include Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America CEO Alan Holmer, NeoRx CEO Paul Abrams, representing the Biotechnology Industry Organization, and Families U.S.A. Foundation Executive Director Ronald Pollack.

House GOP Medicare Drug Benefit Bill Could Be Marked Up June 15

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