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Health Care Coalition On The Rocks: White House Says There's No Deal With Drug Industry
Maybe PhRMA CEO Billy Tauzin should've thought more thoroughly through his scheme to blab to the New York Times about a deal he seemingly struck with President Obama.
As Tauzin tells it, the White House assured him that the pharmaceutical industry would only be on the hook for $80 billion worth of the $1 trillion cost of health care reform--effectively tying Congress' hands if legislators want drug manufacturers to pitch in for more.
But now, White House officials are telling members of Congress that there is no deal. Does this mean PhRMA will drop out of an industry coalition in support of health care reform? Stay tuned.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
I think Tauzin is an ass.
Not opposing is not the same thing as supporting.
If he wanted to limit their concessions, they should have been helping.
Sitting on the sidelines while the insurance cos attack is no help at all.
August 7, 2009 7:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
But, but, but . . . we were already outraged over the betrayal. How can they do this to us? We read the post and we reflexively responded with protestations of intense outrage by Obama's betrayal, just like we were supposed to. We bemoaned the sellout and the end of all we fought for, professed ourselves depressed and in the throes of dispair, because, hey, if the NYT reports that Billy Tauzin said something, you know it has to be true. (Okay, so we didn't actually read the NYT story. It would have delayed the instant expressions of outrage over the sellout.) Now some of us are going to feel and look foolish. Dang.
Wait, I know! The White House only did this because we blog commenters were so rightously mad. Of course, that must be it. Yay for us!
August 7, 2009 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tauzin lying? I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked.
August 7, 2009 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Update and i'm auprised Buetler didn't catch it. Deal is still on.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/07/white-house-confirms-deal_n_254408.html
August 8, 2009 2:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Also according to a WH aide that spoke with the Huff Post. The $80 billion deal the WH made with PhRMA was only for the reform bill. Meaning the WH could back Senators that would want to push other things onto the drug industry in the future.
August 8, 2009 2:14 AM | Reply | Permalink