Trump! Fucking Trump going after the no bid US Medicare pharmaceutical policy!

[Arazi]

shame on the Dems!!

[jillan]

1. Another issue where he will be to the left

Of Hillary.

[flamingdem]

2. However the devil is in the details

This is to get the old folks vote, something for everyone.

Have to say though, he looks better than the rest of the smarmy lot.

[VOX]

20. False. From the link provided in post #5 below:

"Allow Medicare to negotiate drug and biologic prices. Hillary Clinton has long believed that Medicare should use its leverage with more than 40 million enrollees to negotiate and drive down drug and biologic prices for seniors and others in the program. Today, drug prices in Medicare are negotiated by a disparate set of benefit managers, rather than using the full bargaining power of the program. Clinton believes that we should drive the best bargain for Americans, and especially for senior citizens, by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, notably for high-cost drugs with limited competition."

[jeff47]

3. It's truly sad that fucking Trump is to left of our party leadership on anything. (nt)

[joshcryer]

6. It's truly sad when the right wing gets credit...

...for something the left or moderate Dems have been fighting for for a decade.

Lifting the ban on negotiation has been a plank of the Dems since Bush and the Republicans barred it.

[jeff47]

13. And that changes our party leadership's position how?

The people in our party who are not pushing this happen to be the ones in charge.

[joshcryer]

17. Our president made a big push last year for it.

You are simply wrong about this.

[MisterP]

4. the Dems did this: the Dems wanted this; they just never thought anyone would run against their shit

[joshcryer]

5. The Dems have been for negotiation since Bush barred it!

What is this crazy world where the Dems are against something that Trump is for?!?

My god!

The idea of negotiating with drug makers dates back to the creation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2003, when Republicans — who controlled Congress at the time — wrote a section into the law that banned the Department of Health and Human Services from getting involved in talks over prices. Individual, private drug plans that provide the coverage for Medicare can negotiate — with some significant restrictions.

Ever since then, Democrats in Congress have floated proposals that would lift the ban. President Obama called for letting Medicare negotiate the prices of biologics (which are often made from living cells) and high-cost drugs in his budget proposal to Congress last year. And Sanders has introduced a bill that would get rid of the restriction, and says HHS “shall negotiate” drug prices for people with Medicare drug coverage.

http://www.statnews.com/2016/01/06/medicare-negotiate-drug-prices/

And yes negotiating drug prices is in Clinton's plan too (scroll to the bottom if you don't want to read the whole thing).

[VOX]

21. Thank you! n/t

[ecstatic]

7. Great! And tomorrow he'll have a different opinion.

You can't take anything he says seriously.

[Shandris]

8. It's a good thing our own leadership is so stable and firm in their positions rather...

...than changing it on a dime whenever a focus group or the opportunity to send an e-mail arises.

...oh hell.

[closeupready]

30. Just like Hillary.

[Skittles]

9. you do know he is campaining, right?

the man lies DAILY

[Goldfish]

10. Bernie did bring attention to this!

In 1999, he took a bus load of seniors across the border into Canada to purchase prescription drugs
and to bring attention to the high cost of drugs. I don't know why this is not made more widely
known--especially to senior citizens! Why aren't they supporting him? He is a really caring person and a man of action!

[Vinca]

11. Trump is going to try to reel in some Bernie voters if Hillary is the nominee.

The more naïve can probably be had.

[pampango]

12. And we believe everything he tweets or posts or says - until he changes it the next day.

The man will say anything (and contradict himself in the process) in order to get elected.

Like the far-right in Europe Trump promises a safety net for "US", walls, mass deportation and tariffs for "THEM". Once they are in power we'll see plenty of the latter and very little of the 'safety net'.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

27. Sounds like some other candidate... nt

[dembotoz]

14. good populist stand trump not stupid

if elected he can propose it
it won't pass

but he would look good

[yellowcanine]

15. Yes, right after he gets Mexico to pay for the border wall.

Seriously, why would you even pay any attention to what Trump says?

[Arazi]

16. What bothers me is that this should be an issue we Dems are leading on

its a massive part of the bloated healthcare costs and consumers know it.

It bothers me that it was this guy who mentioned it in a debate - it will resonate with a lot people and suck more people into voting for Trump. That sucks

[joshcryer]

18. What bothers me is Dems have been leading on this.

But they get no credit at all for it.

[Arazi]

19. My belief comes from this article

http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2016/01/13/how-much-does-congress-care-about-drug-prices-less-than-it-should/

I know Bernie Sanders introduced a bill last summer or so but honestly Congress has been woefully inadequate on this imo

I'm open to being educated on it however

[joshcryer]

22. I don't see them attacking Dem leaders.

In fact, they are pointing directly at the GOP controlled congress.

[Arazi]

23. You said Dems have been leading on this

I was thinking you'd provide some support for that.

As for the article, its just one of several I've read recently about how really, both parties are passive on the issue.

Negotiating Medicare drug prices is a no brainer and Dems are not pro-active about it. Seeing Donald Trump seize the issue last -a wildly popular position outside the Washington bubble - is crazy

[joshcryer]

24. Um. Obama fought all year for it.

Here, have fun: https://www.google.com/search?q=Obama+2015+negotiate+drugs

Why are you making this up?

[Arazi]

25. I'm not making anything up

Jeez, why the fucking snark? I actually thought we were having a conversation.



Thank you for the links. I said I was happy to be educated. Not so thrilled to be unjustifiably smeared. I shared a link supporting my statement and am happy to read yours

[joshcryer]

28. My first post here was sourced.

And the one source you provide bolstered my argument. I don't get it at all. I give Dems credit where it is due, and on drug price negotiation Dems have been leaders.

[cheapdate]

26. Pretty sure that's codified in public law.

[fredamae]

29. Have you read the 1956 GOP Platform?

They Were more Progressive than Many Dems are today
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25838