Drug Industry Unleashes Huge Wave Of Health Care Mailings Targeting Seniors

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/drug-industry-unleashes-huge-wave-of-health-care-mailings-targeting-seniors/

Drug Industry Unleashes Huge Wave Of Health Care Mailings Targeting Seniors



The powerful drug industry lobby has unleashed a massive wave of mailers in four dozen House districts that warns seniors that their Medicare costs will soar if the House doesn’t back the controversial health care deal that the lobby reportedly cut with the White House and Senate negotiators.

The mailing — which will infuriate reform proponents who oppose that deal and want the House to further target drug industry profits — was paid for by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association. A PhRMA spokesman confirmed to us that it’s hit 47 districts.

With the mailing, the drug lobby is in effect throwing a brush-back pitch at members of the House who might want to undermine the industry’s profit-protecting deal with the White House. Under that deal, the White House reportedly agreed to block efforts by Congress to target industry profits beyond $80 billion, in exchange for its support.

Some members of the House, however, want to go further. They want to help pay for reform by empowering the government to negotiate drug prices under Medicare, which would cut deeper into drug company profits. The industry claims the result will be higher Medicare drug coverage costs.

The mailing indirectly references the above standoff, warning seniors that “some members in the House” support a proposal that would “raise Medicare premiums by as much as 20 percent.” In a reflection of the drug lobby’s efforts to present itself as friendly to reform, the mailing has an iron-fist-in-velvet-glove tone: It thanks the targeted House member for working towards reform, even as it implicitly warns against targeting more industry profits.

The mailing is a sign that the drug lobby is prepared to go on the offensive if House efforts to target industry profits gain traction when Congressional negotiations over reform enter their next phase. Check out the mailing targeting Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore below:

Is Pharma unaware of the old saw "Fool me once..."? Georgie mangled it all to hell, but there are some pretty sharp seniors out there.