06-22-2002

HEALTH: House Braces for Prescription Drug Vote

Two House committees this week marked up legislation providing Medicare
prescription drug benefits, in anticipation of a high-profile showdown on
the floor next week. The Ways and Means Committee produced not one, but
two bills before ending its 12-plus-hour markup shortly after 1:30 a.m. on
June 19. The markup culminated in a 22-16 nearly party-line vote for the
underlying Republican-crafted Medicare prescription drug and
"modernization" bill, and a 29-6 vote for a measure that would
expand tax deductions for long-term care. Two other tax-related
provisions-to expand the availability of medical savings accounts to
Medicare beneficiaries, and to make it easier for drugmakers to claim the
"orphan drug" tax credit for clinical trials-were transferred
from the Medicare bill to the long-term care bill, which also is expected
on the House floor next week. Ways and Means Democrats managed to make few
changes to the Medicare bill, but they scored rhetorical points by forcing
votes on a series of amendments addressing what they saw as serious
shortcomings in the Republican legislation. The Democrats' substitute bill
fell on a party-line 23-16 vote. Meanwhile, the Energy and Commerce
Committee began its markup of Medicare prescription drug legislation on
June 19, and work was continuing at press time on June 20.


Julie Rovner/CongressDaily

National Journal