Fix Medicare Part D Act

Bill: 109-hr-4792
Sponsor: Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
Introduced: 2006-02-16 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative fees
Administrative procedure
Business records
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Cost control
Damages
Department of Health and Human Services
Directories
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drugs
Electronic commerce
Evidence (Law)
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government and business
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Health insurance
Health maintenance organizations
Identification devices
Import restrictions
Imports
Injunctions
Insurance premiums
Intellectual property
Internet
Labeling
Law
Licenses
Managed care
Medical economics
Medicare
Packaging
Parties to actions
Patent infringement
Patents
Pharmacies
Pharmacists
Prescription pricing
Price discrimination
Product counterfeiting
Punitive damages
Quality of care
Restrictive trade practices
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Standards
Wholesale trade

Summary:
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: 
Fix Medicare Part D Act - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal provisions prohibiting the Secretary of Health and Human Services from interfering with negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies and prescription drug plan sponsors. Requires the Secretary to negotiate contracts with manufacturers of covered part D drugs to purchase prescription drugs in order to ensure that beneficiaries under Medicare prescription drug plans pay the lowest possible price.
 
Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2006 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary to promulgate regulations permitting pharmacists, pharmacies, wholesalers, and individuals to import qualifying drugs from certain countries into the United States.
 
Deems a prescription drug to be misbranded unless the packaging of such drug complies with the requirements for counterfeit-resistant technologies.
 
Prohibits: (1) failing to register in accordance with this Act; and (2) importing or offering to import a prescription drug in violation of a suspension order.
 
Declares that selling or importing a patented drug in the United States that was first sold abroad by or under authority of the owner or licensee of the patent is not patent infringement.
 
Prohibits drug manufacturers from discriminating against a person that engages in the importation of a prescription drug, including by charging higher prices or denying supplies of the drug.
 
Extends the 2006 annual coordinated election period for enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan until November 14, 2006. Suspends until after December 2006 any penalties for late enrollment in such a plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-02-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-02-16
text: Introduced in House