Several dogs not barking. Pharma and the Insurance companies love the "reform"

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

If they didn't, don't you think every waking hour would be filled with ads trying to really kill off this mandated valentine to insurance combined with no real negotiation with Pharma?

Why are the Republicans also strangely silent as they wait/pray for the gift that will keep on giving?

[Nikki Stone1]

1. And there it is.

:)

[flvegan]

2. Very insightful.

I think you've hit on something here.

[timeforpeace]

3. Tempting to envision it going down just to see them take it in the chops.

[groundloop]

4. Well then why do we keep hearing about them dumping $MILLIONS into their lobbying efforts???

[RC]

5. Those $ hundreds of millions are an investment that they expect to recoup in the next

few years for the next time the unwashed rise up again. The more they pump in, the more they expect in return.

[robinlynne]

6. They lobbied the senate and it already paid off. bigtime.

[Donnachaidh]

7. they were never really specific as to HOW the lobbying money was being spent

They could actually have dumped MILLIONS lobbying so THEY could name the terms of the bill and write it in THEIR favor.

Which is probably what really happened, considering what a POS this bill is.

[johnaries]

8. You haven't been paying attention. They have been paying

millions trying to kill it. I suspect many bloggers (perhaps some here) are on their payroll.

[Donnachaidh]

12. haven't been paying attention -- check response #9. n/t

[johnaries]

14. NO, obviously neither of you have, See response #13. nt

[slipslidingaway]

9. Reportedly 150 million for ads supporting this bill from Pharma ...

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/robert_reich/2009/08/how-the-white-houses-deal-with.php

"Last week, after being reported in the Los Angeles Times, the White House confirmed it has promised Big Pharma that any healthcare legislation will bar the government from using its huge purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices. That's basically the same deal George W. Bush struck in getting the Medicare drug benefit, and it's proven a bonanza for the drug industry. A continuation will be an even larger bonanza, given all the Boomers who will be enrolling in Medicare over the next decade.

...In return, Big Pharma isn't just supporting universal health care. It's also spending a lots of money on TV and radio advertising in support. Sunday's New York Times reports that Big Pharma has budgeted $150 million for TV ads promoting universal health insurance, starting this August (that's more money than John McCain spent on TV advertising in last year's presidential campaign), after having already spent a bundle through advocacy groups like Healthy Economies Now and Families USA..."



Pharma's Investment

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/08/pharmas_investment.html

"...PhRMA’s participation is key, because the group has promised to kick in as much as $150 million for advertising and grass-roots activity to help pass the president’s plan..."

[johnaries]

13. That was part of the deal worked out. They have since changed

their mind.

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/01/15/phrma-threatening-opposition-to-health-care-bill-over-two-year-drop-in-biologics-exclusion/

And the insurance companies have been fighting this all along.

[slipslidingaway]

15. They have already been running ads in support of the HC bill, also ...

the article you linked to says they are threatening and not that they have changed their minds.

I posted that article the here the other day, we do not know what if anything has been decided, although I did see an ad two days ago in support of the bill. Brought to us by a group partially funded by Pharma.

AHIP also ran commercials in support of the bill and they have been allowed a seat at the table.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

;-)


August 21, 2009

Obama's PhRMA deal

"Smith: Obama's strategy was to vilify the drug companies and then cut deals with them in secret..."

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4134

SMOLENSKAIA: In his 2008 campaign ads, Obama denounced Billy Tauzin, head of PhRMA, for blocking Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices. Tauzin, one of cofounders of the House Blue Dogs coalition, crossed over to the Republican side in '95.


BARACK OBAMA, US PRESIDENT: The pharmaceutical industry wrote into the prescription drug plan that Medicare could not negotiate with drug companies. And you know what? The chairman of the committee, who pushed the law through, went to work for the pharmaceutical industry, making $2 million a year.


SMOLENSKAIA: In their last week's article, Los Angeles Times reports that Tauzin said he carefully negotiated his agreements with the White House, offering the $80 billion discount program in return for assurances that there would be no government price-setting in Medicare Part D, Medicare prescription drug coverage for seniors.


SMITH: They talk about they're going to hold costs down, maybe they're going to shave off a few billion dollars here over the next ten years and a billion dollars there. But that's a drop in the bucket in comparison to what they will gain by having a purchase-insurance mandate that would make every American citizen purchase coverage that would allow them to buy the drugs that big pharma will not be required to negotiate any bulk pricing for or any lower pricing for anyone. So it's a huge windfall for them that if health-care reform passes. With all of us purchasing coverage through private insurance and bringing those dollars in to buy pharmaceuticals, it's a huge, huge benefit to them.


SMOLENSKAIA: According to Los Angeles Times, Tauzin also said the industry asked the administration not to allow the import of cheaper drugs, because of safety concerns..."

[johnaries]

17. I'm glad you mentioned AHIP. Because while they pretended

to support HCR, they secretly funneled between $10-$20 million to fund attack ads:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenbaum/breaking-ahip-and-insuran_b_420690.html

[slipslidingaway]

20. They play both sides to obtain returns for their investors, how much did ...

they spend to run ads in support of HC?

:shrug:

AHIP was also behind a campaign to smear SICKO and Moore, why anyone would think they are a group whose word can be trusted is beyond me.



Yet they were given a seat in the HC discussions many times, both in Congress and at the WH.

President Obama calls on Karen Ignagni of AHIP to speak on HC reform

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=328837&mesg_id=328837


Some ads in support of the bill
http://www.americanhealthsolution.org/campaign-videos/
http://www.ahip.org/


AHIP included, not for profit advocates excluded...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=339978&mesg_id=340011

[JoeyT]

10. The pharmaceutical industry may end up opposing it

if they don't get even more handouts. The ones they already got weren't enough.
Other than that, both seem happy with it.

[bertman]

11. Rec. nt

[slipslidingaway]

16. evening kick nt

[FrenchieCat]

18. Look at the media, and tell me that the health care bill ain't being demonized!

Hell, even the progressives on this board are helping the insurance companies out,
and bending over and doing Pharma's bidding.

I'm surprised they'd have to spend any money,
considering the "Liberal progressive" are doing a fine
job of demonizing both the bill and just about everyone in the Democratic party,
while they are at it. Why do you think the MA race is so close?

[suede1]

19. K & R!

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[amborin]

22. K$R "no insurance company left behind"