Baucus, White House In Deal With Drug Industry

[Harry]

WASHINGTON (AP) The pharmaceutical industry agreed Saturday to spend $80 billion over the next decade improving drug benefits for seniors on Medicare and defraying the cost of President Barack Obama's health care legislation, capping secretive negotiations with the White House and key lawmakers. The deal, expected to be announced later in the day, marked a major triumph for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., as well as the administration.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...r98yLgD98UK3M81

[UNTFan23]

I have noticed recently how in the news whenever an announcement about some savings that have been made, it's always a far out projection. 2 Trillion over 10 years (200 Billion a year). 80 Billion over 10 years (8 Billion a year). I think it's to give the idea that we're saving huge amounts of money when really we're not.

Maybe the number seems small since I work for a company that can make more in a week than will be saved in a year from this announcement.

[FirefightnRick]

House Democrats on Friday unveiled draft legislation they said would cover virtually all of the nation's nearly 50 million uninsured

There's that mythical crisis statment again.

Rick