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July 8, 2009

Health Industry Wins Concessions in Health Care Reform Deals
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Meanwhile new questions are being raised about the concessions won by
the health care industry in return for making cost-cutting deals with
the White House to help pay for health care reform. The Obama
administration is set to formally unveil a deal with major hospitals to
save $145 billion dollars in payments over ten years. The pharmaceutical
industry has also committed to an $80 billion dollar fee cut over ten
years. But pharmaceutical companies say Senate Finance Committee chair
Max Baucus has promised to oppose a House Democratic proposal that would
drastically lower the drug prices for Medicare recipients previously
covered by Medicaid. Last week the retail giant Wal-Mart backed
proposals requiring businesses to provide employees with mandatory
health insurance. But in return Wal-Mart wants to eliminate requirements
that would force employers to cover part of the cost for workers covered
by Medicaid.



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