Stephan:
Just as we lead the world on imprisoning our citizens, so we lead the world in the cost of pharmaceuticals. You will notice, of course, that both of these are strongly negative leaderships. Because our healthcare system is not about fostering wellbeing it is strictly about greed and profit, the prices Americans pay for their prescriptions are bizarrely overpriced, as anyone who has ever had to have a prescription filled in another country discovers. There is, of course, a simple solution to this vulgar greedism. Have Medicare negotiate drug prices. We have not done that because the pharmaceutical industry rents Congressional whores as needed to assure no laws are passed that diminish their profit. How bad is it? Here is hard data from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Will something pass this summer? Wait and see. Of course, most of the opposition comes from the Republicans, although Joe Manchin, one of the leading Senate whores has to be placated.
Demonstrators from the People’s Action protest pharmaceutical companies’ lobbying against allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, during a rally outside Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) headquarters in Washington, DC. Credit: Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty
The Congressional Budget Office said Friday that a pending proposal by Senate Democrats to allow Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices would yield nearly $290 billion in savings and new revenue over ten years of implementation, a predictable yet crucial finding as lawmakers try to revitalize a legislative deal in the coming weeks.
The Democratic effort to revitalize a broader reconciliation package that could be passed in the narrowly-split Senate without Republican votes is considered the best that can be achieved after Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema tanked the much larger Build Back Better plan—one that included sweeping climate provisions and other social investments—last year.
“By empowering Medicare to directly negotiate prices for prescription drugs Congress can end the days of seniors missing lifesaving medications because they cannot afford them,” said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Another common sense solution that you would think would be implemented by Democrats since they control all three branches of government. If you thought that you would be wrong. Another illustration of our failing political system.
Another common sense solution that you would think would be implemented by Democrats since they control all three branches of government. If you thought that you would be wrong. Another illustration of our failing political system.