Not *just* that, but it is a big issue for both Democrats and Republicans. The Kaiser Family Foundation has a monthly tracking poll asking for information on a number of important questions, but there are two that jumped out at me:
Of these priorities, 54% of the polled think that the current Administration can get infrastructure improvements done, 48% think that they can get comprehensive immigration reform done, 47% think they can repeal the ACA and 39% think they can lower prescription drug prices. Asked which of these should be a priority and 52% say that they want lowering of prescription drug prices at the top of the list. Infrastructure is 2nd at 48%, ending the opioid epidemic is 3rd at 42% and immigration reform is 4th at 38%.
77% think that Congress and the Administration are not doing enough to bring down prescription drug prices.
72% rank Pharmaceutical companies as having too much influence in DC — 2nd on the list behind Large Businesses and above the NRA which is at the 5th post.
But THIS:
Medicare-for-All doesn’t rank too highly on the list that these respondents wanted the Administration to do, but it is really important to note that the fraction of support for Medicare-for-all is actually increasing for both parties. And if you make it an option — so that you could keep the insurance you have, you have clear majorities IN BOTH PARTIES that support it. 75% would support Medicare-for-All as an option for all.
We don’t have a Congress that is at all interested in real fixes to the ACA, Medicare-for-all as an option or Medicare-for-all, no insurance. But this sure looks like there is potential support for a Congress that will pay attention to this.
The fix for drug prices is as simple as allowing the government to negotiate the price like they do in all countries were the politicians are not owned by Big Pharma. Start with Medicare, Medicaid is already negotiated. Speaking of owned politicians Coons & Carper come to mind. Wonder why?
Fixing pharmaceutical prices is easier than implementing Medicare-for-all or even getting solid ACA fixes done.
Makes you wonder what happened to capitalism, buy the most, get the best price. We buy more drugs than anyone in the world, and yet we pay double what they do in Mexico and Canada. The answer remains corrupt politicians like Coons & Carper, and sadly Cory Booker as well.