Republicans so heartily approve of Eshoo's biologic drug protection amendment (that squeezes out more affordable generics) that they are adopting it as part of their own *plan*.
Jane Hamsher is
right on the money again, about Eshoo's intended amendment.
As Jon Walker at Firedoglake
reports:
November 3, 2009
The Republican’s have just released their
“alternative” bill to the Democrats’ health care reform legislation. It is frankly a meaningless,
very long press release, filled with some
really bad ideas. The Republicans did find basically only one section of the Democrats’ reform bill they really liked. In fact, the Republicans thought it was such a great idea that they added it, completely unchanged, to to their alternative bill.
What was the section? It was the
Eshoo amendment on the pathway for biosimilars! They took this one division of the Democratic bill, and added it word for word to their own (
Republican bill starting page 185 and
Eshoo Amendment). I guess the only thing truly bipartisan in Washington these days is shilling for powerful industry lobbyists. It seems the one things Democrats and Republicans can agree on in health care is that lifesaving medication should be given a nearly
endless monopoly period, so they are
priced out of reach for many Americans in need.
Ms. Eshoo, don't mess with Jane Hamsher.
