Even as drug makers promise to support Washington’s health care overhaul by shaving $8 billion a year off the nation’s drug costs after the legislation takes effect, the industry has been raising its prices at the fastest rate in years.
In the last year, the industry has raised the wholesale prices of brand-name prescription drugs by about 9 percent, according to industry analysts. That will add more than $10 billion to the nation’s drug bill, which is on track to exceed $300 billion this year. By at least one analysis, it is the highest annual rate of inflation for drug prices since 1992.
The drug trend is distinctly at odds with the direction of the Consumer Price Index, which has fallen by 1.3 percent in the last year.
Drug makers say they have valid business reasons for the price increases. Critics say the industry is trying to establish a higher price base before Congress passes legislation that tries to curb drug spending in coming years.
#19 SpankyOne – That seems a little high. My normal “pharmacist”, Jesus sez I can get the generic Zanax for $132.00 American.
Comparing prices of drugs to the CPI isn’t as relevant as it appears anyway.
The marginal cost of producing a pill is extremely small. The reason why the drugs cost what they do is because the average total cost of a pill is high from the enormous costs for research, clinical trials, etc. that are incurred before a single one is sold. Just because the CPI declines today, doesn’t reduce the amount of money that was spent to develop a marketable drug.
There is no corporate oversight, and I’d wager that the writers of this dumb bill SUGGESTED (or were advised) to leave some loopholes like this.
I’d like to see the patent law rolled back to 1950′s standards, repeal the banking laws that allowed interstate banking, reinstate the usury laws, and mandate that all hospitals are not-for-profit entities. Let the government set up a series of clinics (free, or sliding scale) and get involved with medicine, and NOT give the Insurance Industry more power.
But, that would all make sense. It would me the elected representatives would have to be beholden to the US citizens who voted them in. So, maybe we should also make it mandatory that all representatives sign a contract that will bar them from taking any money from anyone, and must live on the salaries provided by the taxpayers — and, no windfalls within 8 years of leaving office, either.
#21 The Monster’s Lawyer said,
#19 SpankyOne – That seems a little high. My normal “pharmacist”, Jesus sez I can get the generic Zanax for $132.00 American.
Well, if your out..during the interim head over to the “Harlem Trading Hub” at 125th and Lex.
Sticks are $5 and footballs are $2.
-s
When the Country needed Cannons and Rifles, we established National Armories to crank them out. Now we need drugs for Medicare and Medicaid Patients, we should establish National Pharmacies to crank out Generics at PENNIES PER PILL and SHAFT THE PHARMAS BACK !!! We have had ENOUGH OF THE “YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE” MEDICAL MAFIA !!!
So they raise the price and then cut the price and surprise! You have cost savings for the public while still charging as much as always if not more.
I believe the House Health System Exploitation bill has a feature that outlaws people buying cheaper drugs outside the states. It is also anti tort reform. You know you can count on Congress to protect the public unless they can get more money by selling it out.
The funny thing is, if you re-tuned or redesigned and an MRI machine, this one device could cure just
about ever ailment known to man..
You could also use it to stimulate the brain produce practically every drug sold on the market today.
Kinda similar to how electromagnetic pulse therapy works..
We and all life are beings of electromagnetic energy…every organism has its own unique electromagnetic signature.
Learn the frequency of the object in question, and you stimulate it to re-establish its “healthy” signature.
Other than profit, i think the main reason this is kept a secret is because you can also, very easily destroy (kill) any organism with the same technology.
The second reason is that anyone would be able to build such a device with basic electronic knowledge, (and most likely for under a $100) or very easily adapt a function generator
to do both, stimulate health, death or anything in-between.
You can rest assured that a device that costs under $100 to make that can cure almost anything, would never be allowed to “exist” in the current human mindset of today.
-however, i think that might all change within the next five years..
-s