Statement by AARP Board Member Joanne Disch on the Need for H.R. 4

Source: AARP Press Center | January 11, 2007

AARP Chair of the Board of Directors Joanne Disch delivered the following remarks at a press conference today at the U.S. Capitol to support passage of H.R. 4, the “Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act.”

“On behalf of AARP’s nearly 38 million members, I’m pleased to have this opportunity to stand with Representatives Dingell, Emerson, Rangel and Shea-Porter in support of H.R. 4, the “Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007.”

AARP is committed to achieving affordable prescription drugs for all Americans. We fought for years to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare and are pleased to see that tens of million Americans are benefiting from this program. However there are ways, such as granting the Secretary bargaining power, in which we can improve upon this benefit.

H.R. 4 offers a common-sense approach to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to develop a workable negotiation process. We believe the Secretary can achieve additional savings for beneficiaries, improve the long-term sustainability of the Part D program, and reduce costs for taxpayers. And our members overwhelmingly agree. Nine out of every 10 AARP members, of all political affiliations, support allowing Medicare to bargain for lower prescription drug prices.

AARP believes the vote on H.R. 4 is a key vote and we will be informing our members of the results of this vote along with how their representative voted.

We know H. R. 4 will not solve all of the problems relating to prescription drug affordability. But we believe granting Medicare negotiating authority will, over time, help lead to lower drug costs for Medicare. We must do everything we can to help bring drug prices down.

Again, on behalf of AARP’s nearly 38 million members, I urge all House Members to vote in favor of H.R. 4.”

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