House Democrats find administration overspent for ventilators by as much as $500 million [View all]

[riversedge]

Source: nbc




Democrats say the episode raises questions about one of the Trump administration's largest contracts for ventilator production.

July 31, 2020, 4:34 AM CDT / Updated July 31, 2020, 7:11 AM CDT


WASHINGTON — Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted his administration's supply of ventilators, a critical tool for treating patients with life-threatening respiratory symptoms.

But internal emails and documents obtained by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee suggest that the Trump administration failed to enforce an existing contract with a major medical manufacturer, delayed negotiations for more than a month and subsequently overpaid as much as $500 million for tens of thousands of the devices — a costly error at a time when officials from some of the biggest states were warning of shortages.


The communications between administration officials and Philips Respironics, a global medical equipment manufacturer that finalized a $643.5 million contract with the Trump administration in April, are included in a 40-page report shared with NBC News.

The information raises serious concerns about an estimated $3 billion in taxpayer dollars spent on ventilators from a number of suppliers, according to committee staff members who briefed NBC News........................................

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-democrats-find-administration-overspent-ventilators-much-500-million-n1235252

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out the door go our tax dollars!!

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3. Were asked in Jan. by Philips if they needed more vents. A new contract wasn't cut until April, well after peaks in NY/MI and after govs there were warning of shortages
Heidi Przybyla
@HeidiNBC
4. Deal was negotiated by Peter Navarro, formalized by a former Kushner roommate. Maj. of the correspondence was between Philips and a recent college grad assisting Navarro.

5. Oversight Democrats call this "fleecing" and say the $$ should be clawed back.