House leaders water down key liberal language in drug pricing bill

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

House Democratic leaders plan to weaken language progressives inserted in a sweeping drug price bill to discourage sharp cost increases ahead of a floor vote on the legislation next week, three people familiar with the matter told POLITICO.

The move is likely to prompt fierce backlash from Democrats’ liberal wing, and put progressive support for Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s high-profile bill at risk.

Liberal lawmakers had touted the provision authored by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) as essential to shoring up their support for legislation that they otherwise found too soft on the industry.

It would direct the federal government to examine how to require drug makers to refund money to employer-sponsored health plans when the companies raised prices above the rate of inflation.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/05/drug-pricing-bill-language-democrats-076829

[still_one]

1. Does the question come down to this, do they want to produce something that has a chance to pass, or

just make a show of something that won't pass through the Senate

Is something better than nothing, or is this all about a cathartic experience?

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. And you think any bill regulating drug profits will pass

because...?

[Bradical79]

7. Do you think the watered down bill will pass?

[still_one]

8. No, but it provides a better vehicle to exploit the obstruction by the republicans

[Roy Rolling]

2. Really?

The debate is over how much or how little corporations should receive if affected?

Try as they might, they can’t put lipstick on a pig. The health insurance system that relies on corporations to keep workers, or have non-employees face bankruptcy from medical bills is the problem.

Fixing the money path so that corporations aren’t hurt is like expecting a discount on electricity for an electric chair that kills people.

Corporate-led health insurance is the problem, not the solution.

[Bayard]

4. I think this is a stopgap measure that might stand a chance of getting passed

Once Dems are back in power, they can expand it. In that regard then, yes--something is better than nothing.

[still_one]

5. Exactly

[Vinca]

6. We should just have a federal drug pricing agency. Fuck big pharma.

Insulin costs $5 to make and they charge $500. Enough already.