Senate Republicans voted down the provision to cap the price of insulin at $35 for private insurers, Axios reported on Sunday.
The change to the sweeping climate and economic package of the Democrats came during the amendment process that permits any senator to force a vote on proposed alterations to the legislation.
Although seven Republicans voted with Democrats to keep the insulin cap in the bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act, it was not enough to overcome the 60-vote threshold that was needed.
The GOP senators who voted against it said that the cap violated the rules of reconciliation after the Senate parliamentarian declared that it is not primarily related to the federal budget, according to Axios.
The seven Republicans who voted with Democrats on the issue were Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy of Louisiana; Susan Collins of Maine; Josh Hawley of Missouri; Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi; and Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, NBC News reported.
Despite the setback, Democrats said they would still be able to preserve the $35 insulin cap for patients on Medicare, according to Axios.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden accused Republicans of caving in to pressures from the pharmaceutical industry, NBC News reported.
The Oregon Democrat said in a statement, "Republicans have just gone on the record in favor of expensive insulin. After years of tough talk about taking on insulin makers, Republicans have once against wilted in the face of heat from Big Pharma."
According to a study two years ago commissioned by the Health and Human Services Department, insulin is eight times more expensive in the United States than in 32 other high-income nations.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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