Hanabusa, in speaking in the “tele-Town Hall” sponsored by the Healthcare Leadership Council, didn’t specifically mention a proposal being co-sponsored by Sen. Brian Schatz, her opponent in next year’s race.

However, the talk came in the context of a Leadership Council official telling those on the call that the proposal is “ill-advised.” The measure would force pharmaceutical companies pay a rebate to the federal government to keep Medicare costs down.

As Civil Beat reported earlier today, the issue highlights one of the divisions that has arisen in Congress between Hanabusa and Schatz. With Republicans calling for measures to raise the Medicare age limit or increase premiums to lower the deficit, Schatz co-sponsored a measure that is expected to save Medicare $137 billion over the next 10 years.

Hanabusa argues that the move would lead to higher premiums and drug costs on people for Medicare. But in so doing, she has ended up on the same size as the drug companies who are lobbying against having to pay the rebate.

The council is a diverse national organization made up of hospitals, health plans, medical device manufacturers, biotech firms, academic health centers, and also pharmaceutical companies.

Hanabusa said on the call that Medicare recipients are low-income and elderly. Increasing premiums could force them to make a choice between cutting their pills in half or skipping taking their medication entirely. Though there are calls to rein in Medicare spending, she said, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act would lead to a decline in health care spending.

—Kery Murakami