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 Today Congressman David Scott (D-GA) released the following statement regarding his vote for H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007, which passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 255-170:

“Our nation is in the midst of a healthcare crisis with more than 47 million uninsured Americans and millions more who are underinsured,” Congressman Scott said. “I’ve heard from many of my constituents pleading for more affordable prescription drug prices. By requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate with prescription drug providers for lower prices, this legislation will deliver help to millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities.”

H.R. 4 would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate with Medicare prescription drug providers to gain better purchasing power for beneficiaries. With nearly 23 million Medicare Part D beneficiaries, H.R. 4 would grant Secretary Leavitt considerable leverage in bargaining for lower prices by purchasing drugs in bulk.