Posted on 08/14/2009 7:44:12 AM PDT by Starman417
You know the messiah is tumbling back to earth when HuffPo puts up a investigative post about the collusion between Obama and big Pharma:
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.The memo, which according to a knowledgeable health care lobbyist was prepared by a person directly involved in the negotiations, lists exactly what the White House gave up, and what it got in return.
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.
In exchange, the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA) agreed to cut $80 billion in projected costs to taxpayers and senior citizens over ten years. Or, as the memo says: "Commitment of up to $80 billion, but not more than $80 billion."
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." "This memo isn't accurate and does not reflect the agreement with the drug companies," said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin.
Recall this NYT's article:
The drug industry has authorized its lobbyists to spend as much as $150 million on television commercials supporting President Obama’s health care overhaul, beginning over the August Congressional recess, people briefed on the plans said Saturday.
Now we know why.
They sold out for the support of PhARMA. That evil big business Obama railed against (singling out the drug companies on more then one occasion) throughout 2008 is in bed with him and his cronies.
(Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net ...
I believe the deal was more than likely coerced in exchange for less government interference, for the time being.....
Well, it ain’t a secret anymore. We must impeach the thug gangster POTUS before no America is left to save.
I saw that big pharmaceutical was backing 0bamacare last night. I knew they’d cut a deal, this comes as no surprise.
Change you can believe in, eh comrades?
Of course the state-run media will trumpet big Rx as reason to pass the health care. This deal will only get play by a few Fox commentators.
Ping!
Per our discussion yesterday, you may find this interesting.
First it was Big Brother , now it’s watch out for Big ‘Ma !
No longer.
Selling out is selling out.
The Dems will, of course, put burdensome price controls on these companies, and I no longer have a strenuous objection.
Selling out is selling out.
.
I wrote letters to PhRMA and many of its member corporations yesterday. I’m encouraging colleagues to do so as well, and several have already. I prescribe, and at this time there are almost always many appropriate choices among prescription medicines for each patient. Although it will depend on many other factors, especially those that relate to the patient, I will be less likely to prescribe meds put out by these fine folks if they don’t change their ways. I let them know that.
Interesting to note that PhRMA’s address is in D.C. on F Street. What a cesspool D.C. is.
No doubt every industry in America would love the type of sweetheart deal healthcare has received. If we banned the importation of cars Detroit would still be an American success story.
The arrogance of the Elitists on both sides: big government and big business is astouding, acting as if they can controll our lives like we are ants, and that they will get away with it; especially something as important as healthcare. CAN’T STAND ‘EM!
Like Big Pharma was’nt already screwing America hard enough?!!!!
The One’s gonna look mighty puny when this slaps him silly!!!
What is the substantive argument against drug importing?
If it’s the same drug, same quality control, same manufacturing facility, why should a US business - or private citizen for that matter - be disallowed by law from importing it?
This big-pharma/big government kind of deal points out how the exisitng government regulations and programs distort the competitive environment and introduce inefficiencies.
Pharms are hemorrhaging financially so teaming up with Obama will be a MONEY MAKER for them.
Importation of generic drugs that are already off patent would be fine; except that I prefer to buy American whenever possible.
O’LIAR also promised any negotiations to be in public on C-span.
Link to video above. 1000 pardons for not doing it properly.
Somehow, when I read your argument AGAINST drug importing, it seems like an argument IN FAVOR of it.
The whole world benefits from R&D and the resultant drugs, funded by the American people. Time for the American people to be able to buy those drugs whose development they funded at the same price as the rest of the world.
The actual result of practicing re-importing on a large scale, of course, would be to rationalize the pricing structure of the drugs and to distribute the costs of R&D among the various beneficiaries.
Note that it only says they're going to cut $80bn from the projected cost. It appears that what they've agreed to is not to actually cut the cost to the taxpayers, but to be complicit in helping Obama "cook the books" on what the projected cost will be.
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