What'd I Miss?

You know what you get when you watch endless C-SPAN? C-SPAN haze. Too many white men in suits. It's blinding.

I haven't see anything else but giant charts all day so if there's news elsewhere in the world, I wouldn't know.

Tiger Woods still in trouble?

Anyway, happy weekend. Have a good one. Unless something solid happens on the floor that's worth sharing, I'll catch you back here Monday.

Whoa

Via TPM:

Over the last few years, drug-makers have embraced a startlingly simple tactic for fending off competition from generic brands: paying them off. In a nutshell, the company that holds the patent on a profitable drug strikes a deal with the maker of the cheaper generic brand: you hold off on marketing your generic for several years, and in return, we'll give you a share of our profits on the drug.

(...)

So common have these deals become lately that they've been given a name: pay-for-delay. The approach -- a textbook anti-competitive tactic -- is worth billions to drug-makers, because it essentially allows them to buy more protection than their patent confers.

It's worth a read on how this scam is totally legal and totally ripping you off.

Point Worth Pointing Out

There's another argument on the floor right now about the overpayment cuts to Medicare Advantage plans. Senator Wicker (R-MS) is claiming those cuts would mean seniors that have Medicare Advantage won't get to keep what they have if they like it.

Not necessarily.

Senator Dodd points out that private insurance companies will make less money, but it's totally up to them how they compensate for that. Do they cut benefits for seniors, or do they lower salaries or profit margins or adminstrative expenses or shareholder payouts? It's in the hands of the insurers, not Congress. If he cares about seniors so much, Senator Wicker should be going after the insurance companies, demanding they don't cut benefits or benefit plans to make more money.

Senator Dodd goes on to explain that the bill protects seniors from Medicare Advantage plans that raise their premiums too high or cut their coverage too low to protect profits. They'll have to abide by standards or not be allowed to participate in offering Medicare Advantage at all.

Senator Baucus then adds the bill provides even more Medicare guaranteed benefits than seniors get now. The only things that might be trimmed back are the excesses - like gym memberships - but that's still only a maybe since private insurance companies decide how to accommodate for not getting overpaid anymore.

It was a good exchange.

Dead Paperweight

Do you care how much the Senate health care bill weighs? Me neither.

I wish Republican Senators would spend less time talking about how much the legislation weighs and start telling the truth about what it does.

As usual, you can watch the nuttiness here.

Scam Alert

Just got a call on my cell from an Unknown Number. The woman claimed to be with my health insurance company. She said she had a "free benefit" for me but could not tell me what it was until I verified my birth date for her. She then said, "October 2nd...what year?"

I explained I was not going to give her personal information and would like to know what exactly she was calling about. She said she couldn't tell me without my giving her my birth date.

Yeah, that's legit.

It definitely makes me wonder who's got what of mine and is trying to get more.

It's Neither Medicare Nor An Advantage

Senator Dodd is getting worked up. I love it.

Paraphrasing: There is not a single guaranteed Medicare benefit that is reduced or disadvantaged by this legislation. I defy Republicans to find one guaranteed benefit that is cut under this plan.

Medicare overpayments cost every senior money. They cost $90 on average for every couple. 78% of the elderly pay higher premiums for extra benefits they will never see.

I love when Democrats get worked up. We need more like Dodd. Fantastic.

I'm watching on C-SPAN2 on TV, but you can also get it online here.

Cut It Out

Blatant lies make my head hurt.

The McCain amendment is about trying to derail reform altogether and has nothing to do with the Senator having a sudden change of heart towards Medicare. Think Progress has some good background on McCain's former policy and current posturing.

And just in case you're still confused, Democrats aren't cutting Medicare. They're putting an end to overpaying private insurance companies for Medicare Advantage plans.

Heck, while we're at it, health care reform is not a job killer, a giant entitlement program, or a government takeover of health care.

I hate having to debunk the same ridiculousness over and over again, but Republican Senators can't seem to generate anything new or true to share on the floor.

It's going to be a long three weeks.