S. 1688Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2017

Introduced August 1, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 5:43 PM UTC

The Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act would change the law so the Secretary of Health and Human Services can negotiate the prices of prescription drugs covered by Medicare Part D. By allowing these negotiations, the bill aims to lower drug costs for seniors who rely on Medicare. It would affect Medicare beneficiaries and the pharmaceutical companies that sell drugs to the program.

Key Provisions

  • Removes the current prohibition on the HHS Secretary negotiating Medicare Part D drug prices by striking subsection (i) of Section 1860D‑11 of the Social Security Act.
  • Authorizes the Secretary to negotiate "fair" prescription drug prices for the Medicare Part D program.
  • The amendment would take effect immediately upon the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

August 1, 2017

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

August 1, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

August 1, 2017

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in SenateIssued August 1, 2017

II

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1688

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 1, 2017

Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Franken, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Manchin, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Udall, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate fair prescription drug prices under part D of the Medicare program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2017.

2.

Authority to negotiate fair prices for Medicare prescription drugs

(a)

In general

Section 1860D–11 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–111) is amended by striking subsection (i).

(b)

Effective date

The amendment made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.