US law would allow states to negotiate prices

Proposed legislation to allow US states to use their purchasing power to force down prescription drug prices by as much as 40% for lower-income residents is being presented to the House of Representatives by Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, Maryland). The move would mean that discounted prices for Medicaid beneficiaries would be applied to other low-income people.

The proposed threshold for Rep Van Hollen's bill would be three times the federal poverty line, or $10,210 per person and $20,650 for a family of four for a year, the Washington Post reports.

A previous attempt to introduce similar legislation stalled in committee following the 2002 death in an airplane crash of the then-sponsoring Congressman, Senator Paul Wellstone (Democrat, Wisconsin).