Senate Finance Republicans Stand Against Price Controls

The Senate Finance Committee recently marked up the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA). During this markup, Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) introduced two amendments to oppose socialist price controls.

The first amendment removed the Medicare Part D inflationary rebate penalty in PDPRA. The second amendment prohibited the Department of Health and Human Services International Pricing Index from being enacted.

Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Sen. Toomey in supporting both amendments. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) also supported the amendment to remove the Part D inflationary rebate penalty.

These Senators deserve praise for voting against these harmful policies and standing with taxpayers, seniors and free market policies.

Unfortunately, both amendments failed to receive majority support with the Senate Finance Committee.

See also: 

• An inflationary rebate penalty will do nothing to directly help seniors and will instead create distortions that will undermine the free market and the success of Medicare Part D [link]
• The International Pricing Index harms patients and suppresses innovation [link]