Democrats see progress in adding drug-cost curbs to budget bill

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON — Democrats have made significant progress toward adding compromise provisions curbing prescription drug prices to their massive social and environment package, two congressional aides said Sunday.

Talks were continuing and no final agreement had been reached. But the movement raised hopes that the party’s 10-year, $1.75 trillion measure would address the longtime Democratic campaign promise to lower pharmaceutical costs, though more modestly than some wanted.

With talks on that and other issues underway, Democrats were hoping to resolve final differences and bring the overall measure to the floor this week, a House leadership aide said.

-snip-

According to a senior Democratic aide, under discussion is letting Medicare negotiate lower prices for many pharmaceuticals it provides. Excluded would be drugs for which the Food and Drug Administration has granted initial protection against competition, periods that vary but last several years.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-see-progress-in-adding-drug-cost-curbs-to-budget-bill/ar-AAQahP5

[PoliticAverse]

1. "and no final agreement had been reached." - so why would the pharmaceutical industry support it?

And if they don't why would the politicians from the pharmaceutical industry support it?

[JT45242]

2. the savings to medicare by negotiating should pay for the expansion for dental, vision and hearing

Since approximately 25 million folks on medicare had diabetes from 2010-2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6843a2
just the savings on insulin alone should be billions.

Throw in some other stuff that big pharma has been hosing Medicare on and you end up at billions saved to cover hearing, dental, and vision.

[qazplm135]

3. After Manchin's speech

good luck with that.

[Bettie]

4. Given Manchin's speech

there won't be a bill.

At. All.

He's working for McConnell, who gets to have nothing passed and can say "well, it isn't my fault!".