U.S. urged to help lower drug prices

[Judi Lynn]

Nov. 6, 2004, 7:08PM

U.S. urged to help lower drug prices
AMA lobbies the government to negotiate with manufacturers
By ROBERT PEAR
New York Times

WASHINGTON - The American Medical Association says the government should negotiate directly with drug manufacturers to secure lower prices on prescription medicines for the nation's elderly.

Under the new Medicare law, signed by President Bush last December, 41 million elderly and disabled people will have access to drug benefits in 2006. Medicare will rely on private health plans to deliver benefits.The law says the government "may not interfere" in negotiations with drug companies.

Authors of the law included that provision out of fear that government involvement could overwhelm the free market, leading to federal regulation of drug prices — "price-fixing" by federal bureaucrats, in the words of Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
(snip)

Hours after Bush signed the Medicare law last year, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, both Democrats, introduced bills to give federal officials the "authority to negotiate prices with manufacturers" of drugs covered by Medicare.
(snip)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2886488
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[tsuki]

1. Not my problem.

[Dogmudgeon]

4. But it is MY problem

I voted for Kerry, just like you did. You're supposed to use that "Not My Problem!" slogan with Bush supporters.

I take medications to control problems and pain from several less-than-successful surgeries.

In 1996, my meds cost me about $40 a month.

In 2000, the last year I had a drug discount card, they would have cost me about $60 a month. With the card, they were about $25.

This year, they cost about $130 a month. And I'm unemployed this year, so I cut back as much as I could and end up borrowing money anyway; otherwise, I'd be spending about $200 a month.

One of the meds that used to cost $3.95/100 now costs $38.50/100 at Wal-Mart, which is by far the cheapest place to get them. At Walgreens, it's $47-$50.

The situation is just nucking futs!

--bkl

[sally343434]

2. What a hack piece of crap journalism.

More pseudo-journalism.

Authors of the law included that provision out of fear that government involvement could overwhelm the free market, leading to federal regulation of drug prices — "price-fixing" by federal bureaucrats, in the words of Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

Pear knows this is a lie, yet he prints it as fact. The authors of the law included the provision to pay off big pharm, and that's it. I suspect the NYT has quite a few full page ads from big pharm running in their paper.

Hours after Bush signed the Medicare law last year, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, both Democrats, introduced bills to give federal officials the "authority to negotiate prices with manufacturers" of drugs covered by Medicare.

Why? Did they actually think it would accomplish something? They could have used the only tool in their toolbox -- the filibuster. But then they would have been late for their cocktail parties. We have to have our priorities!

[sonicx]

3. too late