Posted on 01/26/2016 6:37:47 AM PST by GIdget2004
Donald Trump is calling for Medicare to be able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices, a policy long backed by Democrats and opposed by Republicans.
The Republican presidential candidate told a crowd in Farmington, N.H., Monday night that the policy would save billions of dollars, but then took a shot at pharmaceutical companies, which strongly oppose the proposal.
"We don't do it. Why? Because of the drug companies," Trump said, according to The Associated Press.
Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, as well as President Obama, have called for the same policy of letting Medicare negotiate prices, which it is currently banned from doing under the 2003 Medicare prescription drug law. The Democratic candidates also have both bashed the drug companies on the stump.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
It’s a winner.
Sad fact of the matter is that most voters are Conservative on the majority of issues, but want Big Government to have their backs on economic issues of personal consequence.
Thank the Chamber of Commerce for 25 years of successfully buying EVERY policy they wanted.
Exactly. What many near the top of this thread have long forgotten, is that it was George W. Bush who expanded "free drugs for seniors" under Medicaid, which was the biggest expansion of Federal "benefits" since LBJ implemented the Great Society.
Medicare paying LIST PRICE for drugs for senior citizens is STUPID, period.
It's also a HUGE WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS, and a PAYOFF to the drug companies.
But let's not wasting our tax dollars paying LIST PRICE for drugs for our nation's senior citizens get in the way of a good Trump bashing.
Some people are so blinded by their hatred they've forgotten their conservative roots.
Well, that is unless your opinion of conservatism is the continued ripoff of taxpayers. Here is Trump saying he is going to shrink the cost of government and you are against it.
Outside of it being forbidden by the 2003 law, why would Medicare NOT negotiate with the pharma companies over the cost of drugs?
Saying drug prices under the Medicare program should be NEGOTIABLE to save Taxpayer Dollars and reduce the cost of Government is the midset of a liberal east coast Democrat?!
What alternate reality are you living in?! Wow.
They don’t think that far. Government is needed because big corporations are cheating people in need. It’s another example of the big man oppressing the little guy.
I get the feeling that Trump wants to see just how far left he can go before he starts losing support. He really believes what he said over the weekend - there’s not much he could do for his supporters to stop supporting him. And they seem to be proving him right. Here he advances what is a classic leftist Dem proposal to get government even MORE involved in out healthcare, and his supporters are saying why this is such a good idea.
“It’s fraud, in every state at every level.”
First of all, Medicare is a federal program not a state program.
And answer me this... How can Walmart sell a drug for $5 when medicare gits billed 3 times as much?
Come to NC and view some of the massive, gorgeous “campuses” pharmaceutical companies have at RTP. Each building, there are many on campus, has a wonderful dining room with great meals. Or better yet visit your doctor’s office or hospital when the salesperson brings the meals and free gifts. Those are especially nice at Christmas. Yet Americans pay dearly for meds.
The same drugs we pay dearly for are sold cheaply in other countries. I don’t care but someone needs to negotiate prices before seniors can’t afford aspirin.
This will mean more monetary contributions to politicians and their “foundations” by drug companies, which is what the crooks really want.
” Why would medicare NOT negotiate prices?”
Exactly. We pay more for drugs than any other nation. If the drug companies want the government/medicare business, they need to negotiate.
When this issue came before congress in 2007, several conservatives voted for it, including Ron Paul, Steven LaTourette, Walter Jones, Steve Chabot. The rest were getting big $$ donations from the drug companies. This should have been in Bush’s Part D drug plan, but was left out to keep the drug Companies happy.
http://www.ontheissues.org/HouseVote/Party_2007-023.htm
Trump is right.
Can it really be called “negotiation” when the federal government is telling you what you must accept?
A better option would be to allow Americans to buy prescription drugs from foreign pharmacies.
There is no reason for Americans to foot the entire bill for drug research.
Exactly. We don't ever need any new drugs. All the good drugs have already been invented.
Why do you think that happens?
“Geez, does anybody need any further proof that Trump simply thinks like a liberal East Coast democrat??? He told us from the start, he’s running “AS†a conservative republican. He just really ISN’T one.”
Trump is running as a populist. If he wins the nomination, he better come up with an ideological roadmap or he is toast.
No on has the b*lls to stand up and negotiate better deals. Research is their excuse to overcharge Americans. Cut the gifts and spread the cost of research to all.
I call BS. Have any evidence?
Do you know how those foreign governments cut better deals? What is their secret?
Funny you should mention that. There’s some guy named Donald Trump who wrote a whole chapter of his book “Time To Get Tough” on exactly that subject: fixing the fraud in Medicare/Medicaid.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.