Plog Number 42
Inflation Reduction Act
Hello everyone, may the light of the sun be on your face and the wind behind your back. That is my take on the old Irish blessing. Either way, I am wishing you all good things. In this neck of the woods it is sunny, humid and unabashedly summery. We have to enjoy it while it is here.
I have been watching the Senate argue in an overnight session on this proposed law. As a nurse who worked overnight for years, I have zero sympathy for them. They are well compensated for their time and they are there to do a job. I am sure that their staffers are bringing them meals and coffee and other creature comforts. The drama seems very staged. The bill as I understand it, contains some really good provisions for Americans. The law includes the following: Reduction of Deficit to reduce inflation. Increased IRS funding to enforce fair tax assessments for the wealthy tax evaders . Reduction of Fuel emissions by 40%. Investment in Domestic Energy production.
Laws of this magnitude have amendments, riders and add on’s. The law is anything but clear cut and I do not claim to understand it thoroughly. With that being said, I would like to focus on one of the bargaining items on the senate floor. That item is lowering the price of Insulin and other medications. At this point, that item has been taken away from the proposed law for the general public. It is no longer included in the law because it was lost in the bargaining process. Only Medicare patients will have the $35.00 insulin cap. The Republicans and Sinema and Manchin could not see themselves signing this bill if this Big Pharma section was included.
Lets talk Diabetes. There are 37.3 million Americans in the United States. That means that 1 out of every 10 people have the disease. The disease is chronic and affects 10.5% of our population. As a nurse and nurse practitioner I have eyewitnessed the struggles that diabetics endure for more than 40 years. But the physical aspects of diabetes are interdependent on the financial costs of the drug used to treat it. For both types of Diabetes, Insulin is a very important medication. A vial of Insulin currently costs $275.00 per vial. That does not include the cost for needles. Most Diabetics use two vials per month. Many diabetics are on two different types of Insulin to control their blood sugar. The disease may require a short acting and a long acting Insulin. Other medications such as Farxiga, Victoza, Trulicity are extremely helpful for diabetes and as a bonus they are cardio and renal protective. These medications are extremely costly. The insurance companies have the final say in what will be paid for. I am very sad that Insulin cost capping portion for the general public, ended up in the trash. Big Pharma won that battle. If they pay politicians to side with them, it was a sound investment $$$. As a healthcare provider, I would love to see the cost of Insulin be affordable. Poor people do not have the option to go to Canada to buy cheaper Insulin. Poor people will just do without, or ration their doses, or try to borrow from their loved ones. It is a HUMANITARIAN crisis. 😢
But the bill lumbers on. Certain sections are being watered down. Certain sections are staying alive. The fight is partisan and the proponents seem to be just waiting for pure exhaustion to set in. I will keep you posted on what actually ends up in the bill. The senate is split 50-50. Vice President Kamala Harris will be brought in to cast her vote and end the process. She has done this 15 times already in her 2 ½ years as VP. She gets little credit, but I think she has been working behind the scenes. I feel at ease with her being in her position, because I know that she will vote blue. She will vote for poor and working people.
RECLAIM
Comentários