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Ever since Congress approved the Medicare drug plan proposed by President George W. Bush, Democrats have groused that it was a huge giveaway for the pharmaceutical industry because it did not allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. As a candidate, Barack Obama vowed to change the program to allow Medicare negotiate lower prices. But now, Obama's promise is being slowed by a political deal involving his plan for health care reform.
So, it started with a campaign promise. But like most campaign promises this President put forth, he has failed to execute.
In closed-door negotiations with President Obama and his top aides throughout the spring, Big Pharma offered its support for comprehensive health care reform and pledged to cut $80 billion in costs over the next ten years. Just exactly what Obama promised in return wasn't made public and was the subject of intense debate on Capitol Hill Thursday, as senators wondered aloud if the White House had tied their legislative hands.
Earlier in the week, there were reports that Obama had promised to oppose any congressional attempt to exact further money from the massive pharmaceutical industry, which would include allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices or import cheaper drugs from Canada -- two major priorities for congressional Democrats.
In a Thursday meeting with Senate Democrats, some of those present thought the White House backed off that deal. The administration has now stepped in to clear up its position:Congress can vote to do those things -- just not as part of the health-care overhaul legislation.
So, this President campaigned on changing Medicare Part D to allow negotiation of prescription drug prices, because Big Bad George W. Bush didn't know what the hell he was doing, but when it comes to Barack Obama's healthcare reform, the idea of negotiating prescription drug prices to save taxpayer money was something Barack Obama was no longer interested in?
Can someone, anyone tell me again why we shouldn't consider Barack Obama worthless by every measure?
That is because Big Pharma makes the govt a great deal. Why would the govt want to cut it's revenues?
A great deal? So great that Big Pharma wanted it codified into law that the government couldn't negotiate drug prices or seek importation of prescription drugs? How does that serve to help the government or the taxpayers?
If it's so good, why were Democrats clamoring to reign in Big Pharma after the fiasco that came from Bush's Part D (a deal that I will never forgive Bush for) prohibiting the price negotiation?
It was plenty news during the town halls.
The followers just chose to ignore it.
The deals were made with the WH no less..even above Congress.
Even Huffpost wrote about this back in 2009: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_258285.html
A memo obtained by the Huffington Post confirms that the White House and the pharmaceutical lobby secretly agreed to precisely the sort of wide-ranging deal that both parties have been denying over the past week.
..
It says the White House agreed to oppose any congressional efforts to use the government's leverage to bargain for lower drug prices or import drugs from Canada -- and also agreed not to pursue Medicare rebates or shift some drugs from Medicare Part B to Medicare Part D, which would cost Big Pharma billions in reduced reimbursements.
Medicare is not Obamacare. Obamacare is private sector insurers and they are free to negotiate whatever they want with drug companies. Having clarfied that point, I will agree with you that politicians of both parties are on the take and, through their inaction, gave special favors to pharma that increase the cost of care in the US.
Medicare is not Obamacare. Obamacare is private sector insurers and they are free to negotiate whatever they want with drug companies. Having clarfied that point, I will agree with you that politicians of both parties are on the take and, through their inaction, gave special favors to pharma that increase the cost of care in the US.
The "deal" was made directly with the WH my friend.
Even Huffpost wrote back in 2009 (I posted the link) about this.
The WH denied the points in the memo saying they weren't accurate.
Yet we now come to find out that it was accurate and as they say "a deal is a deal".
Medicare is not Obamacare. Obamacare is private sector insurers and they are free to negotiate whatever they want with drug companies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dane_in_LA
You with your facts and stuff. With that sort of logic, you can prove anything that's even remotely true.
Your point, while true, is not applicable. The point is that the Affordable Care Act could have included legislation allowing for prescription drug price negotiations for Medicaid reimbursements (remember, it was expanded and thus more costly to taxpayers), and it did not. It could have also rewrote the Medicare Part D prohibition, and it did not. I do agree with your criticism of both parties.
The WH deal with big pharma is expected to net them at least $35 billion MORE in profits.
They all had expiring patents and Obamacare was their answer to retain their profits and make even more than before.
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