Bill > HR6392

This bill, titled the Negotiating for Seniors Act, aims to change how prescription drug prices are handled within Medicare Part D, which is the voluntary prescription drug benefit program for Medicare beneficiaries. Specifically, it proposes to remove existing prohibitions that prevent the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from interfering with negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies or prescription drug plan sponsors, and also from requiring specific drug formularies (lists of covered drugs) or setting reimbursement prices for these drugs. By repealing these noninterference provisions, the bill would allow the Secretary of HHS to directly negotiate drug prices, potentially leading to savings for the Medicare program, which are then to be used solely for Medicare purposes, and these changes would apply to negotiations and prices for plan years starting January 1, 2013.