Could we consider ditching the deal White House and Baucus cut with Big Pharma?

[laughingliberal]

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.

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Allen Brisson-Smith for The New York Times
Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, a pharmaceutical economics professor at the University of Minnesota, said, “When we have major legislation anticipated, we see a run-up in price increases.”
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In the last year, the industry has raised the wholesale prices of brand-name prescription drugs by about 9 percent, according to industry analysts. That will add more than $10 billion to the nation’s drug bill, which is on track to exceed $300 billion this year. By at least one analysis, it is the highest annual rate of inflation for drug prices since 1992.

The drug trend is distinctly at odds with the direction of the Consumer Price Index, which has fallen by 1.3 percent in the last year.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/business/16drugprices.html?hp

Is there anyone who couldn't have seen this coming? Raising their prices 10% to offset the 8% they have promised to put back on the table for Medicare part D?

[valleywine]

1. We the people did not have a say in its construction and we the

people will not have a say now.

[derby378]

3. But the teabaggers sure as hell did...

Big Pharma and Big Insurance employed them to muscle the townhalls in August, remember?

[valleywine]

6. This deal was made much earlier. No teabaggers invited to the table

that I know of.

[Cant trust em]

2. It's not a legally binding deal anyway

It can be broken at any time.

[laughingliberal]

5. Now would be a good time to break it

I know the House bill does not honor it. I hope it doesn't survive conference but I do fear the more conservative Senate will push to keep it in.

[DemBones DemBones]

4. Yes we should. Who can afford having their premiums increase 33%?

Who can afford the increases in drug prices? This bill is a nightmare.

Thousands cannot afford health insurance, so the answer is to tell them to either buy it or be fined $250,000 AND sent to prison? That's insane.

Also, everybody is talking about it not covering abortions but it supposedly does not cover ANY gynecological care. No mammograms, pelvic exams, Pap smears, etc. It won't pay for oral contraceptives, either. I don't mind men getting Viagra but women should be able to get the pill, and if men can get prostate exams and PSA tests, women should get GYN care.

NO "REFORM" AT ALL IS BETTER THAN LOUSY "REFORM." KILL THIS BILL.