OBAMA Rx DRUG PLAN TAILORS MEDICARE AFTER VA Rx PROGRAM

A new prescription-drug plan advanced by Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama could save seniors on Medicare $157 billion over the next decade, said the Illinois senator.

Obama's plan would allow Medicare officials to negotiate with the pharmaceutical industry for lower prescription drug prices, allow Americans to buy prescriptions from Canada and other developed countries, and increase the use of generic drugs in Medicare and other government programs.

A key element in the senator's plan involves securing drugprice reductions for Medicare similar to those available for the government's Veterans Affairs (VA) drug program. According to a study by Obama staffers, seniors on Medicare pay 71% more for prescription drugs than VA patients.