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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.
how is that going to bring down health care costs?
Because of its proximity to Tucson, AZ, Nogales has become one of the largest providers of health care in Mexico for US patients. The medical and dental community has succeeded in providing care that is comparable to the USA in professionalism, equipment, and competency at a price that is 40% to 60% cheaper than in the USA.
Maybe some entrepenuer will set up something for online shopping.
Commitment of up to $80 billion, but not more than $80 billion. 1. Agree to increase of Medicaid rebate from 15.1 - 23.1% ($34 billion)
2. Agree to get FOBs done (but no agreement on details -- express disagreement on data exclusivity which both sides say does not affect the score of the legislation.) ($9 billion)
3. Sell drugs to patients in the donut hole at 50% discount ($25 billion)
This totals $68 billion
4. Companies will be assessed a tax or fee that will score at $12 billion. There was no agreement as to how or on what this tax/fee will be based.
Total: $80 billion
In exchange for these items, the White House agreed to:
1. Oppose importation
2. Oppose rebates in Medicare Part D
3. Oppose repeal of non-interference
4. Oppose opening Medicare Part B
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.
how is that going to bring down health care costs?
From the article:
"Representatives from both the White House and PhRMA, shown the outline, adamantly denied that it reflected reality. PhRMA senior vice president Ken Johnson said that the outline "is simply not accurate."
"Johnson added that "no outside lobbyists -- not a single one -- were ever involved in our discussions with the Senate Finance Committee or the White House so someone is blowing smoke."
"But the lobbyist who was given the outline defended its authenticity. And although the White House now says that drug price negotiations and reimportation were not actually discussed in the talks with PhRMA, the lobbyist said: "Well, that's bull -- that's baloney. That was part of the deal, for them not to push that."
Glad you all will believe the word of a un-named health care lobbyist (for the insurance companies) who wasn't there, with a typed meno, no letter head, no signatures. Of course, if it was 'real' the parties involved would need to title the memo pharma deal, just so it wouldn't be confused other similar deals and add the date just for reference.
"Representatives from both the White House and PhRMA, shown the outline, adamantly denied that it reflected reality. PhRMA senior vice president Ken Johnson said that the outline "is simply not accurate." "Johnson added that "no outside lobbyists -- not a single one -- were ever involved in our discussions with the Senate Finance Committee or the White House so someone is blowing smoke." But the lobbyist who was given the outline defended its authenticity. And although the White House now says that drug price negotiations and reimportation were not actually discussed in the talks with PhRMA, the lobbyist said: "Well, that's bull -- that's baloney. That was part of the deal, for them not to push that."
Glad you all will believe the word of a un-named health care lobbyist (for the insurance companies) with a typed meno, no letter head, no signatures who wasn't there.
While I agree the information is suspect. The fact is that I have not seen any legislation that would allow americans to purchase drugs from Canada. This is what we need. You have to ask why is that? Obama and congress should be called on the carpet for that. We need competition in the drug industry.
From the article:
"Representatives from both the White House and PhRMA, shown the outline, adamantly denied that it reflected reality. PhRMA senior vice president Ken Johnson said that the outline "is simply not accurate." "Johnson added that "no outside lobbyists -- not a single one -- were ever involved in our discussions with the Senate Finance Committee or the White House so someone is blowing smoke." But the lobbyist who was given the outline defended its authenticity. And although the White House now says that drug price negotiations and reimportation were not actually discussed in the talks with PhRMA, the lobbyist said: "Well, that's bull -- that's baloney. That was part of the deal, for them not to push that."
Glad you all will believe the word of a un-named health care lobbyist (for the insurance companies) with a typed meno, no letter head, no signatures who wasn't there.
Yes, I'd sooner believe a lobbyist than the White House on this. The lobbyist has nothing to lose, the White House has everything to lose (Obama's health care bill). They don't want us to know what they are agreeing to behind closed doors. I was hoping that at the very least Obama would press for allowing us to get drugs from Canada at discounted prices, but no. We're getting shafted on that also.
The question is - why are the pharaucetical companies endorsing the Health Care Plan? What's in it for them?
There was a deal made - Obama sold out the American people. In exchange for an ill-defined promise of savings, and more importantly an endorsement of the plan, Obama agreed to not include drug import or drug cost negotiations into the plan or into legislation. These two items would have saved the American people much much more than any agreement he struck.
This internal memo may very well be suspect (as is Huffington press itself), but this is not the only report of this making the rounds.
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