The Independent View: Democrats Using Drug Pricing Reforms to Offset Cost of Infrastructure Package

House Democrats are aiming to Allow the Government to Negotiate Drug Prices directly with Pharmaceutical Companies as part of Planned Infrastructure Legislation in order to Offset some of the Trillions of Dollars of Spending.

“Usually infrastructure has not been partisan,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA, 12th District) said during a Tuesday event hosted by the Pro-Obamacare Group Protect Our Care. “We have to make decisions as we go along. But we would be missing an opportunity if we did not include lowering the cost of prescription drugs.”

The Healthcare Reforms in question were initially Proposed in the Massive 2019 Drug Pricing Reform bill H.R. 3, which Stalled after it Passed the House.

One of the most Controversial Provisions of the Package was to Grant the federal Government authority to Negotiate Directly with Drugmakers over the Prices of the most commonly Prescribed Medications in both Medicare and Private Insurance Plans. H.R. 3 also Stipulated that the Prices of those Prescription Drugs in the U.S. Must conform to those set in other Countries, including France, Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Democrats are considering Measures from the Bill that could be included in the Next Package centered on Infrastructure.

When H.R. 3 was first Proposed Two years ago, the Pharmaceutical Industry fought hard against it, with Lobbyists from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America putting a Total of about $29 Million into their Campaign against the Bill that year.

H.R. 3 could Save the Federal Government Billions, according to the Congressional Budget Office, a Nonpartisan Agency that offers Financial Advice to Congress, which Estimated that “the price negotiation provisions would lower spending by about $456 billion.”

The Provision could Cover at least some of the Cost of President Biden's proposed $3 Trillion Spending on Infrastructure, Education, and Green Energy systems.

“This is an infrastructure bill, and we consider human infrastructure a very important part of how we go forward,” Pelosi said. “I would carpet the country with community health centers, and much of that funding can come from the money that we would save by passing H.R. 3.”

House Democrats have Not yet submitted an Infrastructure Proposal, but Senate Democrats have already initiated Discussions with Biden about laying the Groundwork for the “Build Back Better” plan.

Pelosi signaled Tuesday that Democrats are willing to go it Alone if they are Blocked by the GOP. “We want this to be as bipartisan as possible,” Pelosi said. “But we don't want bipartisanship to limit what it does for America's working families, for small businesses, for our children, for our country.”