WAXMAN TAKING ON THE $80 BILLION "DEAL"

The Waxman Cometh


The New York Times reports today on Henry Waxman's plan to challenge the apparent "deal" between pharma and the administration in which pharma would give up $80 B in exchange for DTC'ing in favor of healthcare reform, not having to negotiate Medicare pricing further, and supporting some version of reform in general.

The article includes an interesting array of responses from pols, analysts, conservative think tankers, industry folks, et. al. As already noted here, Billy Tauzin says a Waxman-like move would be a "deal breaker." I have personally speculated that such a result would not be entirely unwelcome by the industry at this juncture.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/health/policy/26dual.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y