Dave Camp: “The American Legion urges you and your colleagues to reevaluate the ``noninterference'' provision of Chairman Dingell's…”

“The American Legion urges you and your colleagues to reevaluate the ``noninterference'' provision of Chairman Dingell's proposed legislation, H.R. 4, The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007. It would amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower covered part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries. Each time the Federal government has enacted pharmaceutical price control legislation, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has experienced significant increases in its pharmaceutical costs as an unintended consequence. A fundamental principle in the price negotiation process so that the ``lowest price'' establishes the baseline. By simply raising the baseline, it sustains or possibly increases the corporate bottom line based on the projected increased volume in sales. An increased baseline minimizes the margin in future price negotiations.”