Oppose Speaker Pelosi’s Pharma-friendly Deal with the Trump Administration

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Speaker Nancy Pelosi

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Rep. Jackie Speier

San Mateo Office: (650) 342-0300

DC Office: (202) 225-3531

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Call Script

My name is __________. I am a constituent, and my zip code is _______. I am a member of Indivisible SF.

As your constituent and someone who is directly impacted by outrageously high drug prices, I am calling to ask [Rep Speier / Speaker Pelosi] to support the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act (HR.1046), rather than the much weaker and far more limited proposal the Speaker has negotiated with Trump and big pharma.

Context

Late last month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her support for a confusing, complicated prescription drug plan that will help Big Pharma continue making billions from high drug prices, at the risk of patients’ lives. (1) Even though there are powerful progressive proposals to bring drug prices down, such as HR 1046, the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act (Lloyd Doggett D-TX35), Pelosi's top health care aide spent weeks seeking to cut a deal with the Trump administration and Big Pharma. And in a recent meeting of House Democrats, Pelosi officially announced her support for the proposal, saying the House would move on the legislation this month, (2,3) despite the fact that HR1046 is supported by 125 members of her House Democratic caucus! Pelosi's plan would give Trump a rare win (just in time for the 2020 election!), while undercutting the progressive plans that would actually tackle Big Pharma's monopoly.

Background

Earlier this year, Pelosi's top health policy aide assured industry executives they didn't need to worry about Medicare for All. Another Pelosi advisor is a lobbyist for pharmaceutical benefit managers and represents many of the same companies running attack ads opposing Medicare for All. This is not a team capable of producing policies that put the American people above corporate interests. (4,5)

Under the Pelosi plan, the Department of Health and Human Services would negotiate with Big Pharma on only 25 drug prices each year. If they cannot come to an agreement, another agency would set a price through some undisclosed corporate-friendly process. The next year, Big Pharma could raise the price all over again. (6)

It's not like Pelosi doesn't have other options. Progressive Democrats have spoken out in force in support of several truly progressive plans to break the power of Big Pharma monopolies and lower drug prices. Sen. Warren's plan would direct the government to manufacture generic drugs. Sens. Sanders and Merkley and Rep. Ro Khanna would force companies to follow international average prices or face tough consequences. Rep. Lloyd Doggett's bill would allow Medicare to negotiate discounts, and let the government issue a license to a competitor to produce a generic version of the drug, if Big Pharma refuses to negotiate in good faith. (7,8)

Pelosi's preferred plan is a giveaway that would allow Big Pharma to maintain its bloodsucking grip on our medical system – and she needs to hear immediately from us how terrible her approach is.

References

David Dayen, "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Drug Prices," May 24, 2019.
Ibid.
Zach Carter and Daniel Marans, "Nancy Pelosi Plans To Go Easy On Big Pharma," HuffPost, May 23, 2019.
David Dayen, "Nancy Pelosi's Drug-Pricing Talks with the Trump Administration Are About Mediating Fights Between Corporate Interests," The Intercept, April 22, 2019.
Carter and Marans, "Democrats Ran On Lowering Drug Prices. Now They Could Cut A Bad Deal With Donald Trump."
Dayen, "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Drug Prices."
Dayen, "Nancy Pelosi's Drug-Pricing Talks with the Trump Administration Are About Mediating Fights Between Corporate Interests."
Carter and Marans, "Democrats Ran On Lowering Drug Prices. Now They Could Cut A Bad Deal With Donald Trump."

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