America's Stunningly Overpriced Healthcare System In 2 Charts

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73. Obama tried to insert a negotiation provision, but the Republicans blocked it.

As a candidate, Barack Obama promised to repeal the prohibition on Medicare negotiating directly with drug companies over prices for Medicare recipients. But he was not able to do it. I guess the administration had to pick its battles. The priority was getting people covered, which was struggle enough. To declare war on Big Pharma would have sunk the ACA. Remember, Obama had a veto-proof majority in the Senate for only about two months (24 Congressional working days) during his first two years in office.

Sen. Al Franken introduced a bill that would repeal the ban on negotiations, but it too stalled in the Senate Finance Committee.

The administration included as part of its fiscal year 2013 budget a narrower proposal allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices in the same manner as the Department of Veterans Affairs. It would allow Medicare beneficiaries who are also covered by the income-based Medicaid to receive the same rebates that Medicaid receives for brand name and generic drugs.

But this, too, seems unlikely to happen given Republicans' death grip on Congress.