Senate Finance Committee Passes Prescription Drug Price Reform
Montana Senator Steve Daines, a member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, announced on Thursday that he helped to pass a bipartisan bill tailored to lower prescription drug costs for Montanans and all Americans.
“Today was about adding transparency to the prescription drug pricing system and holding pharmaceutical company middle men who are responsible for price negotiations accountable,” said Daines during a press conference following the vote. “Here are some bottom line numbers. It lowers Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs by over $20 billion. It results in lowering premiums by over $5 billion. This bill will also save the taxpayers more than $100 billion.”
Daines said now that the package has passed the Senate Finance Committee, it will head to the Senate floor.
“We’re going to work to get it signed into law,” he said. “This has the support of both Republicans and Democrats as was evidenced today. It also has the support of President Trump. This took months and months of negotiating to get Chairman Grassley, as well as Ranking Member Wyden of Oregon, a Republican and Democrat to get to some common ground so that we could actually get something passed. I’m personally proud to be on the committee that is actually getting something done, actually reporting bills out of the committee so that we can get them on the floor of the U.S. Senate for a vote.”
Daines said he is only the third Montanan ever to be appointed to the powerful Senate Finance Committee.