Medicare Drugs for Seniors (MEDS) Act of 2006

Bill: 109-hr-4697
Sponsor: Rep. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT-At Large]
Introduced: 2006-02-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative fees
Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Allergies
Annuities
Australia
Business records
Canada
Charitable contributions
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Civil service retirement
Coinsurance
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer discounts
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Cost accounting
Cost control
Customs administration
Damages
Department of Health and Human Services
Disabled
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Drug advertising
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drug interactions
Drug therapy
Drugs
East Asia
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic commerce
Electronic data interchange
Electronic government information
Europe
European Union
Export controls
Exports
Federal advisory bodies
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Generic drugs
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Grievance procedures
Health care fraud
Health education
Health insurance
Home care services
Housing and Community Development
Identification devices
Import restrictions
Imports
Injunctions
Insulin
Insurance companies
Insurance premiums
Intellectual property
International Affairs
Internet
Japan
Kidney diseases
Labeling
Labor and Employment
Law
Legal fees
Legislation
Liability (Law)
Licenses
Mail-order business
Managed care
Medicaid
Medical economics
Medical records
Medicare
Medigap
New Zealand
New products
Oceania
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Packaging
Parties to actions
Patent infringement
Patents
Pharmaceutical research
Pharmacies
Pharmacists
Physical examinations
Prescription pricing
Price discrimination
Product counterfeiting
Product safety
Public health
Punitive damages
Quality control
Quality of care
Railroad retirement plans
Rebates
Research and development
Restrictive trade practices
Retiree health benefits
Right of privacy
Rural health
Sales promotion
Science, Technology, Communications
Smoking
Social Welfare
Standards
Surety and fidelity
Switzerland
Tax incentives
Taxation
Telephone
Terminal care
Translating and interpreting
Transportation and Public Works
Treaties
Web sites
Welfare recipients
Wholesale trade

Summary:
action_date: 2006-02-01
text: 
Medicare Drugs for Seniors (MEDS) Act of 2006 -Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to replace the current part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) program, adopted by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, with a revised prescription drug benefit program under a new part D (Prescription Medicine Benefit for the Aged and Disabled) for all Medicare beneficiaries.
 
Provides for reductions in the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
 
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to: (1) revise requirements with respect to the commercial and personal importation of prescription drugs and the disposition of certain drugs denied admission; and (2) prescribe requirements with respect to Internet sales of prescription drugs.
 
Provides that if any federal agency or any non-profit entity undertakes federally funded health care research and development, and is to convey or provide a patent or other exclusive right to use such research and development for a drug or other health care technology, such agency or entity shall not make such conveyance or provide such patent or other right until the recipient first agrees to a reasonable pricing agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary determines that the public interest is served by a waiver of the reasonable pricing agreement.
 
Sets forth Medigap transition requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-02-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2006-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2006-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2006-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2006-02-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-02-01
text: Introduced in House