Dems asking PhRMA for $10B more

[slipslidingaway]

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/0110/Dems_asking_PhRMA_for_10B_more.html

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/hc_20100113_4218.php

"After cutting an $80 billion deal with PhRMA, Democratic leaders are going back to the well asking the drug industry to pony up another $10Bs.

Congress Daily's Anna Edney's got the story:

Congressional leaders are asking the pharmaceutical industry to cough up an additional $10 billion to help pay for the healthcare overhaul as they search for revenue to fund what will likely be a more expensive final bill than the one the Senate produced last month...

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America agreed in June to an $80 billion cost-cutting deal over 10 years with the White House and Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus to help fund the overhaul..."

[daa]

1. Good luck with that

have you ordered any prescriptions THIS year since they went UP again?

[slipslidingaway]

7. Even with another 10 billion they are still getting a great deal ...

and yes price increases on drugs...maybe it is just a coincidence.

;-)

Drug Makers Raise Prices in Face of Health Care Reform

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/business/16drugprices.html?_r=2&hp

By DUFF WILSON
Published: November 15, 2009

Even as drug makers promise to support Washington’s health care overhaul by shaving $8 billion a year off the nation’s drug costs after the legislation takes effect, the industry has been raising its prices at the fastest rate in years...

...“When we have major legislation anticipated, we see a run-up in price increases,” says Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, a professor of pharmaceutical economics at the University of Minnesota. He has analyzed drug pricing for AARP, the advocacy group for seniors that supports the House health care legislation that the drug industry opposes.

A Harvard health economist, Joseph P. Newhouse, said he found a similar pattern of unusual price increases after Congress added drug benefits to Medicare a few years ago, giving tens of millions of older Americans federally subsidized drug insurance. Just as the program was taking effect in 2006, the drug industry raised prices by the widest margin in a half-dozen years.

“They try to maximize their profits,” Mr. Newhouse said..."

[thotzRthingz]

2. PHARMA should be agreeing-to/pushing: drug re-importation & faster to-market generics! (n/t)

[laughingliberal]

3. A step in the right direction but a reminder of one of worst cases of selling us out in this whole

process. The deal the White House cut with PhRMA killed an opportunity to reform one of the worst parts of our system. Bush's Medicare part D codified the profits of the pharmaceutical industry and we needed to reverse that. Instead, it remains illegal to use the buying power of Medicare to negotiate a reasonable price on drugs. And, in no time, we'll hear Bernanke insisting we need, "entitlement reform.'

[thotzRthingz]

6. ...and if they're willing to give-up $80-90Billion -- what does that say about what they're gonna be

making, in those out-years (not to mention the absurd PRICE INCREASES we've already seen)?

[slipslidingaway]

10. Especially with all the boomers moving to Medicare, which makes this...

deal even worse.

[slipslidingaway]

8. Agreed, what happened to the Dems who called out Bush for that deal...

and I heard the speech in January '09 about deficit reduction mostly through entitlement reform.

[Captain Hilts]

4. We need to know more about this 'deal'. And who/how the Dems 'negotiated' it. nt

[Myrina]

5. ... dontcha love it when someone makes a 'deal' on your behalf ...

... and you have absolutely no input until its unveiled what exactly you've committed to?

[slipslidingaway]

11. Yes and we should be pushing for Medicare to negotiate drug prices. n/t

[SoCalDem]

9. Sure, why not? They'll just raise prices 15B

This is WRONG approach to the mess..

You yank public funding for their "research" (usually through the universities)or you make them PAY for the research that leads to their goldmine drugs..and you force them to negotiate on PRICING.. If they refuse, just shorten the time that patents apply, and let the generic market start making the "fancy" stuff..

[slipslidingaway]

12. You would have my vote :))) n/t

[slipslidingaway]

13. kick nt