Pelosi releases her prescription drug plan

[brooklynite]

Source: Axios

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put forward an aggressive plan allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of some prescription drugs that could also be applied in the commercial market.

Why it matters: Under any other GOP administration, this plan would be dead on arrival. But Washington is waiting to see whether President Trump bites — and can then browbeat other Republicans into voting for it.

Between the lines: The framework of the plan is very similar to the draft that recently leaked, with changes likely made to appease various factions within the Democratic caucus.

Details:
- The HHS secretary would identify 250 drugs without meaningful competition each year, and negotiate the prices of at least 25 of them. The negotiated price couldn't be more than 1.2 times what other countries pay for it, on average.
- If a drug manufacturer refuses to negotiate, it'd get hit with an excise tax on annual gross sales beginning at 65% and increasing 10% every quarter that it remains out of compliance.
- The manufacturer would be required to offer the negotiated price to commercial plans.
- The plan also limits price increases in Medicare Part D and Part B to inflation (applied retroactively to 2016), creates an out-of-pocket spending cap in Part D, and restructures how Part D is paid for.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/nancy-pelosi-prescription-drug-plan-4f09d408-5b58-47f8-b4e2-d8e5927ab1d5.html

[Meadowoak]

1. The drug companies will just raise the price on the other 225 drugs to make up the difference.

[ToxMarz]

3. "The plan also limits price increases in Medicare Part D and Part B to inflation..."

Maybe this would prevent that

[Vinca]

10. Great if you happen to have Medicare. Not so much if you don't.

The solution needs to cover every living, breathing human in the country, not just Medicare recipients. Young people are dying for lack of insulin.

[CaptainTruth]

2. Wait ... I thought they were doing nothing? nt

[ooky]

4. Wonder how this helps diabetics who aren't on Medicare to afford their price

gouged insulin and other gouged diabetic maintenance needs such as insulin pumps and infusion sets?

[mcar]

5. Thank you, Madam Speaker!

[paleotn]

6. Steps in the right direction

[MadDAsHell]

7. Where was this 10 years ago?

[Maxheader]

8. I can see this kind of conversation between..

the pharm nazis and pelosi..

pelosi..."symbicort is 350$ in americu..and 95$ through canadian pharmacy...please reduce your price accordingly"

p.n...."accordingly?" "ok..it will now be 400$" "that increase will pay for the inconvenience of having to talk
with you.."

[Polybius]

12. I mean you no disrespect at all, but why do you write the $ sign after the number?

I have seen a few others do this as well. The last person I asked somehow got offended and I didn't get an answer.

[Maxheader]

13. None takin friend...

I don't know...as an ex-engineering draftsman I've looked at uncountable ways to make data stand out...or be unobtrusive.."DON"T DRILL THIS...NO STEP....if and as required",
The dollar sign at the back of the value, for me..makes it stand out...this is money, this is important....

[BlueIdaho]

9. There is only one way to improve people's lives...

Vote those Republican bastards out of office.

Regulating Medicare drug prices is a good start but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

[VarryOn]

11. Not new ideas, but good ones.

Hopefully, there is something about getting drugs to generic status faster than today.

Unfortunately at her presser, the press was consumed with impeachment questions. She was clearly frustrated and did her best to shut it down. I dont think there's ever been an American that occupies so much of Americans' attention and focus as Trump. The best thing democrats having going for them maybe that independent voters are just sick and tired of hearing about him, his flaws, policies, and crimes notwitstanding.

But, it concerns me that important issues like this get trumped by Trump shit. I understand why impeachment isnt her favorite topic.