Posted on 09/14/2009 6:31:45 PM PDT by Kaslin
For several months now, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., has been drafting a health reform bill with a bipartisan group of three Republicans and three Democrats designed to garner support from both parties.
Just in time for President Obama's address to Congress, some key points in the forthcoming bill were unveiled. The final bill is expected to be released this week. Unfortunately, it features a number of provisions that would hamstring medical innovation.
Baucus' overhaul would be partially funded by new fees on the health care industry. Starting next year, medical device makers would be forced to pony up $4 billion annually to the federal government. Biopharmaceutical firms would be on the hook for $2.3 billion each year. Clinical labs would have to shell out $750 million a year. All this in addition to the taxes they already pay.
Cutting Drug R&D
To put this in perspective, it takes $1.3 billion, on average, to research, develop and bring a new drug to market. So the bill would siphon away money that could otherwise have launched two new medicines.
With less money for research, cutting-edge drugs already in the pipeline undoubtedly will take longer to get to market. And whole lines of research aimed at curing diseases that currently lack treatments could be delayed or even canceled.
It doesn't stop there. Under Baucus' bill, the government would start demanding a discount of 23.1% — up from 15.1% — on all brand-name drugs purchased by Medicaid, the government program for low-income Americans. This too cuts funds for research and development of new medicines.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...
Between the lines: Dear medical R&D, natural supplement companies, and drug manufacturers: GET POKED.
Taxing people who survive Obamacare. A novel concept.
ObamaCare - Kill the companies that provide good health!
Fearing the Reaper is racist!!
Typical socialistic tactic
What a putz.
I have $30K of advanced electronic hardware implanted in my back. I’m glad I had the system implanted two years ago.
This is a nightmare in the making, courtesy of liberals and the Obamination.
End the crap Kennedy put in place in the 70's that has caused the exploding costs, repeal the commerce junk in regard to selling across state lines and let the FREE MARKET work out the rest of the details.
They have NO CONSTITUTIONAL right to be doing this!
If I were in that business, I’d start to concentrate on the
vetrenary market.
OH good grief! MORE INSANITY!
Not one single vote for anything the Dems propose on “healthcare” reform - not one, you Republicans in Congress and in the Senate!
NOT ONE VOTE! Do you hear us?
Indeed. Let the democRats ram it through and let them own it
Yes, let them (the Dems). See them in 2010 at the polls!
great point
This Congress will be the reason there will be no cure for cancer ever, no cure for Michael J. Fox, no cure for diabetes. Just DIE people, then they will have NO ONE to represent.
This Congress will be the reason there will be no cure for cancer ever, no cure for Michael J. Fox, no cure for diabetes. Just DIE people, then they will have NO ONE to represent.
People who heal won’t die and get out of the way when Emperor Barack wants them to.
Half the money and all of the liability. Yipee!
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