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Obama? Big Pharma. Here's an $80B Drug Discount

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 20, 2009 4:41 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Big Pharma has offered the feds a discount of up to $80 billion on drugs for programs like Medicare, the Washington Post reports. The pledge, which comes at a crucial moment in the health-reform debate, may be a pre-emptive strike before President Obama pushes for a proposed $100 billion price cut. “There was a great deal of sticker shock" when the White House floated that number, a drug company exec said.

US lawmakers are suffering from sticker shock of their own. After the price tag for health care overhaul came in at $1 trillion this week, the House unveiled a bill yesterday mandating changes that Big Pharma hopes to make independently. Rep. Henry Waxman called the bill an attempt to recover the "windfall" that drug companies made when the Medicare prescription drug benefit kicked in 3 years ago.

The health care reform bill.
The health care reform bill.   (AP Photo)
The Roche plant in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland.
The Roche plant in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland.   (AP Photo)
A production technician at Eli Lilly and Company examines pills.
A production technician at Eli Lilly and Company examines pills.   (AP Photo)
President Barack Obama mimes a phone call.
President Barack Obama mimes a phone call.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
brawne
Jun 21, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
Well since we socialized medicine a long time ago with Medicare, why is it so difficult to spread that system to younger Americans? I guess the simple answer is that without medicare the elderly wouldn't have the money to keep the greed afloat and we bootstrap Americans believe in paying your own way until your age and economic circumstances make us feel peachy about subsidizing your health care. Dementia got you comatose and in a home for the rest of your life? No problemo--we'll pay that. You're ten and broke your arm--screw you.
inky
Jun 21, 2009 6:19 AM CDT
I got into a "discussion" with my 80-year-old mother in law tonight about the "government" running health care. She's on Medicare and happy with it. But she doesn't think the government should run the country's health care. She got really pissed when I told her the government runs HER health care. But apparently anyone under 80 is not worthy.
kokuaguy
Jun 21, 2009 2:55 AM CDT
Deebles for President.
US • Health • Money • Politics

 
Congress • Medicare • drug companies • pharma • health care reform • discounts • Obama administration

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