Democrats seek to solve Tricare Rx drug dispute

[Monkeyman]

"When Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo), the ranking member of armed services panel,tried to offer an amendment to reimburse indivduals for the increased cost share of their prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies-a counter-move to the measure adopted in the bill-the House Rules Committee did not allow him a vote.

The move Frustrated Skelton,who praised an otherwise bipartisan bill. But Democrats are not giving up. Forty Democrats wrote to the House Armed Services Committee to urge Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-Calif)and Skelton not to include the Senate measure mandating mail order of drugs in the conference report.

That measure would "effectively remove access to local pharmacies,"The Democrats wrote. "Reducing cost by cutting off access to the local retail pharmacy is a drastic and unreasonable measure,especially when there is a more fair,feasible and effective option that will save money."

The letter released by Reps. Marion Berry (D-Ark) and Ben Cardin (D-mD) also states that most drug manufactures refuse to follow the Veterans Healthcare Act."

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http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/Business/090606_tricare.html