House: No Viagra from Medicare

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House: No Viagra from Medicare
By Val Brickates Kennedy, MarketWatch
Last Update: 4:59 PM ET June 24, 2005

BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to cut off Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, the Associated Press reported late Friday.

The AP said the House voted 285-121 to pass a measure sponsored by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, which would deny government reimbursement for the drugs.

King had argued that the drugs are not medically necessary and that shutting down reimbursement would save the programs $105 million in 2006 alone. He estimated the U.S. government could end up spending $2 billion on erectile dysfunction drugs over the next ten years unless coverage is stopped, according to the AP.

The measure will move next to the Senate.

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