Lobbyists are writing the legislation!
What’s that you say? You already knew?
Apparently the health care “reform bill” from the House of Representatives is loaded with industry written components. One item from the Republican reform proposal that was added to House bill word-for-word, was originally written by Big Pharma. It gives them virtually unlimited patent rights on life-saving drugs, which then gives them the right to set the prices at outrageous levels – as high as $400,000 per year for some.
Passed without question.
A Genentech spokesperson defended it by saying this happens all the time, as we have been telling you on this blog. Does that make it OK?
We know the talking points were cleverly crafted by the paid talent of the health care industry, then parroted by the Democratic Representatives who signed on. A casual comparative reading of some of the politicans’ statements shows word-for-word copycatting.
How many other items in that bill were written by industry with the effect of handing over tax dollars in perpetuity?
Here’s the worst case scenario: the truth about this comes out in small town papers and blogs on both sides, the implications for future health care costs are calculated, and the possibility of health care reform goes down the drain.
No wait, it could be worse. The public option bites the dust (because that’s the single biggest government component of the bill) but the rest of the bill – the parts written by those who will profit from them - gets approved and signed by the President. We the people end up being forced to buy health insurance from a few select providers, and there are no controls on the cost of the services and products, jacking up the health care profitability even beyond the unacceptable levels we face now.
The best case: the truth about this comes out in small town papers and blogs on both sides, the implications for future health care costs are calculated, and the people demand that all those pig trough amendments be dropped, we keep the strong public option and then give that government plan the right to negotiate prices for services and products. True competition erupts, everyone is covered and over time, we pare down the relative costs, giving us back money for education, highways, and pay raises!
Which do you think is likely?
Unless the people stand up and demand responsible legislative behavior, I fear the worst of the worst. Lobbyists own Congress. Is there a majority of representatives and senators who will stand up to the health care industry pressure and do the right thing? I submit that will only happen if the people, literally, take to the streets, flood the mailrooms, crash the email servers, and clog up the phone lines.
Get busy!
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We’ve been “off the air” of the blog-o-sphere for the past couple of weeks, sitting back and watching things develop. Couldn’t keep our mouths shut forever, though. Keep watching… there’s more to come.
JM
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