Senators believe drugmakers will contribute more money to close Medicare coverage gap
By APWednesday, December 16, 2009
Senators: Drugmakers will pay more for health bill
WASHINGTON — Democratic senators say they’ve been told the pharmaceutical industry will contribute billions of dollars more than it previously promised for President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, with the money being used to close a gap in Medicare drug coverage.
Several said that expectation was a factor Tuesday when more than a dozen Democrats reversed their previous positions and voted to kill a Senate effort to allow low-cost drugs to be imported into the U.S.
The drug industry strongly opposed the importation proposal. It has faced growing pressure from Democrats to provide extra money to close the “doughnut hole,” the nickname for a temporary gap in Medicare coverage that occurs after beneficiaries’ drug costs exceed $2,700 in a year.
Tags: Barack Obama, Government Programs, Government-funded Health Insurance, Health Care Costs, Health Issues, North America, United States, Washington
