Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 - Climate Change, ACA Subsidies, Medicare, Corp Tax, Deficit Reduction - Manchin Schumer

[Foggy]

Off Topic

That warface is so terrifying, I had to use it for a avatar for 24 hours or so, just to scare away our enemies.

Lotta whacko birds gettin' desperate lately, and if they find Fogbow there could be some ... interaction.

So on a temporary basis, I am displaying the full might of our military QRT options. That ferocious face should scare away any potential problem units, and by units, I mean, of course, Earthlings. They're amusing and entertaining, but never forget that Earthlings can be dangerous and crazy.

With a warface like Lieutenant Biscuit has, I can sleep better at night.

[qbawl]

"Lt Col Root Beer, Col Biscuit" OMG! Talk about meteoric rise! it seems like only yesterday Biscuit was a freshly minted 2nd Lt. and now he's a full chicken Colonel? Poor Lt. Col. Root Bear must be frothing with anger at this promotion board hijinks.

Unless of course I'm just misremembering their former ranks (quite possible) and I am too lazy to research their former rank and TIG A distinct possibility).

[Foggy]

Off Topic

I do believe she's officially a second looey, but just as Lieutenant Commander Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III always got folks to call him simply "Commander", so I am calling that gorgeous but deadly ankle-biter special operator Lieutenant Biscuit.

Wear greaves, that's my advice.

[sugar magnolia]

Can someone explain why the drug price negotiations seem to be off-limits to the Republicans?

[W. Kevin Vicklund]

Can someone explain why the drug price negotiations seem to be off-limits to the Republicans?

1) They are in favor of obscene corporate profits (unless they can blame Democrats)
2) It's collective bargaining = socialism = communism
3) Democrats support it, they must therefore oppose it
4) Healthcare should be expensive, otherwise poor people might get some
5) They're hoping that if they can prevent it, the reconciliation bill falls apart

[Gregg]

Can someone explain why the drug price negotiations seem to be off-limits to the Republicans?

It might be the hundred million dollars in campaign contributions and lobbying paid by pharmaceutical companies.

[sugar magnolia]

Can someone explain why the drug price negotiations seem to be off-limits to the Republicans?

It might be the hundred million dollars in campaign contributions and lobbying paid by pharmaceutical companies.

That would do it.

[Luke]

Off Topic

That warface is so terrifying, I had to use it for a avatar for 24 hours or so, just to scare away our enemies.

Lotta whacko birds gettin' desperate lately, and if they find Fogbow there could be some ... interaction.

So on a temporary basis, I am displaying the full might of our military QRT options. That ferocious face should scare away any potential problem units, and by units, I mean, of course, Earthlings. They're amusing and entertaining, but never forget that Earthlings can be dangerous and crazy.

With a warface like Lieutenant Biscuit has, I can sleep better at night.

This was a wise move, Foggy. That warface is terrifying and evil-doers are stopped in their tracks. Might need it until the Senate votes, sends it to the House, and President Biden signs it.

Even as nuts as they are, there's no way that Laity, Taitz or Rondeau would dare to cross Biscuit. Lindsey Graham has talked about making problems for the bill during vote-a-rama, but since seeing Biscuit he hasn't said another word. Biscuit would make a Graham Cracker out of him.

And agree, all Fogbow members sleep better knowing the 699th is on the case!

[pipistrelle]

My insurance is billed $7,769 a month for one drug I’m on.

[sugar magnolia]

The list price for each indicated dose of KEYTRUDA when given every 6 weeks is $20,948.

I've been on it since last Aug and will remain on it until next April.

[pipistrelle]

The list price for each indicated dose of KEYTRUDA when given every 6 weeks is $20,948.

I've been on it since last Aug and will remain on it until next April.

One wonders what the actual manufacturing cost is.

[Slim Cognito]

Can one find out what it would cost in, say, France?

[pipistrelle]

Can one find out what it would cost in, say, France?

My quick-and-dirty search:

Screenshot 2022-08-06_07-11-23-263.jpg (455.03 KiB) Viewed 847 times

https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/file ... BDrugs.pdf

[Luke]

The GOP fought drug prices for ACA-covered people, they are so evil. Keep thinking 'Don't Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good'. 'Don't Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good'. We'll get there. And the ACA subsidies still are in for another 3 years so plans with good Rx coverage will still be intact. Why MAGA votes for Republicans who hurt them with things like this is still one of the most asinine things of all.

Dems near pivotal vote with climate agenda intact, prescription-drug plan dinged
One pillar of the party's plan to cut drug costs, affecting the private sector, got nixed by the Senate's nonpartisan rules referee.
By CAITLIN EMMA and MARIANNE LEVINE 08/06/2022 07:26 AM EDT Updated: 08/06/2022 10:12 AM EDT

Democrats have survived the vetting of the Medicare portions of their prescription drug reform plan, but lost ground on a separate pillar that penalizes drug companies for raising prices on individuals with private health insurance, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday.

The announcement is a blow to the party’s signature domestic policy bill, which is headed for a key procedural vote later Saturday. Schumer, however, underscored the upside: The Senate’s nonpartisan rules referee, who decides which provisions are eligible for sidestepping a GOP filibuster under the chamber’s strict rules, signed off on Medicare-related drug price negotiation.

“This is a major victory for the American people,” Schumer said in a statement. “While there was one unfortunate ruling … the overall program remains intact and we are one step closer to finally taking on Big Pharma and lowering Rx drug prices for millions of Americans.”

While the loss of their proposed prescription drug price benefits for the millions of Americans who get health insurance through private-sector employers stings hard, Democrats also got some good news overnight on their climate change plan — the Senate’s rules arbiter signed off on that the bill’s energy provisions, including electric vehicle tax credits and a bonus tax credit to encourage clean energy developers to pay the prevailing wage.

“I’m especially pleased that our prevailing wage provisions were approved. These provisions guarantee wage rates for clean energy projects. Clean energy jobs will be good-paying jobs,” Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), whose panel is spearheading much of the effort, said in a statement.

The chamber is set to for a pivotal vote to move forward on the bill later Saturday afternoon.

Aides on both sides of the aisle had sparred over Democrats’ drug pricing plans for weeks. Republicans argued that the savings yielded by the mandate involving the private insurance market, in particular, could be considered a budget side effect of the policy rather than its main purpose, which would break Senate budget rules.

More: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/0 ... l-00050201

Dems lose key piece of health agenda in spending bill
Parliamentarian nixes Democrats’ plan to lower drug prices for Americans with private insurance.
By ALICE MIRANDA OLLSTEIN 08/06/2022 10:21 AM EDT

Democrats’ plan to control drug prices for 180 million Americans with private health insurance has suffered yet another setback.

The Senate parliamentarian ruled Saturday that a core piece of the party’s plan can’t pass the chamber with fewer than 60 votes, following arguments from both parties last week.

Albeit a blow to the majority party, which had hoped to campaign this fall on lowering drug prices for all Americans, the nonpartisan parliamentarian’s vetting means the core of the plan Democrats are trying to steer past the GOP filibuster is finally cleared for floor debate, more than a year after they began crafting the far more sweeping version once called Build Back Better.

Yet the plan will now move forward without a provision that would have penalized drugmakers for hiking costs faster than inflation in private insurance plans as well as Medicare.

The exclusion of the private insurance price limits means there is little left that will reduce costs for the vast majority of Americans who receive health insurance through their private sector employer. Democrats are still waiting on a separate parliamentarian ruling on their policy to cap the cost of insulin both inside and outside of Medicare.

The decision also means tens of billions less in federal savings in the bill overall, a potential threat to Democrats’ hopes of offsetting the cost for shoring up Obamacare’s subsidies.

Still, Democrats argue that the bill will move forward in the coming weeks with its most important provision intact: a repeal of the longstanding ban on the federal government directly negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the parliamentarian’s ruling “good news” in a statement Saturday.

“Medicare will finally be allowed to negotiate prescription drug prices, seniors will have free vaccines and their costs capped, and much more,” he said.

More: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/0 ... l-00047520

HUMIRA is $87K per year.

Humira (adalimumab) is a very expensive drug that costs about $7,389 for two subcutaneous kits (10 mg/0.1 mL). Two subcutaneous kits typically contain a month’s supply of Humira, which means it can cost upward of $84,000 to take the medication for a whole year.

https://www.singlecare.com/blog/humira-cost/

[Luke]

People are saying pallets of Pup-Peroni are being delivered to the Senate floor but no confirmation.

The Democratic leader said senators should expect to vote sometime Saturday afternoon to begin debate on the legislation.

“In a few hours, we will formally begin the process of passing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 by voting on the motion to proceed,” Schumer said.

That will then trigger up to 20 hours of floor debate, followed by votes on an open-ended series of amendments that could last throughout the night and into Sunday morning.

Schumer told colleagues they should expect to keep voting until the bill is finished, likely sometime Sunday.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/359 ... o-proceed/

[Luke]

FYI, here's a link directly from the US Senate, it's the live floor camera:


https://www.senate.gov/legislative/floo ... y_pail.htm


2:57pm EDT: Cornyn is calling it the "Manchin tax increase". He's crying for the Coal Industry. He says there are 40 amendments in tonight's vote-a-rama. He's so sad.

[keith]

Can one find out what it would cost in, say, France?

Australia: https://m.pbs.gov.au/medicine/item/1042 ... 2605K.html

[keith]

Australia: adalimubab

[MN-Skeptic]

[Volkonski]

Not a bad thing but the GOPers managed to eliminate some important items especially the insulin price cap.

[Gregg]

I thought only one amendment passed.

Also, do they not now have to have a joint conference to make the House and Senate bills the same and then one final vote?

[June bug]

I thought only one amendment passed.

Also, do they not now have to have a joint conference to make the House and Senate bills the same and then one final vote?

IRA originated in the Senate. Now it goes to the House where I don’t think they’ll dare change even one word - just pass it as is.

[Luke]

Gregg, we watched the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) debate on the Senate cam last night & fell asleep to it. Right before falling asleep, out of the corner of my eye, I'd swear I saw dachshunds on the Senate floor looking sternly at GOP senators, paws up and cracking a whip. Of course getting a comment out of the 699th is nearly impossible, but please pass along to Lt Col Root Beer and Lt Biscuit that America is grateful. Respectfully, they deserve a battlefield promotion, an advancement in military rank after this win for the American people. People are saying Root Beer should be an O-6 and Biscuit at least an O-3 but preferably an O-4.

O-7.JPG (56.52 KiB) Viewed 651 times

Schumer and Manchin said to let the 699th know their staff purchased the last 9 cases of Pup-Peroni on Amazon, they respectfully said to contact them through the usual channels which address to use. Praying the 699th doesn't mind I mentioned their suites including the Presidential at the Four Seasons. Clearly, they've checked out already which is why I said anything, but one of the 699th's messengers can stop by to pick up the Pup-Peroni if that's the preferred place.

Thankfully the $18,500 per night cost for Root Beer and Biscuit's suite, along with blocked rooms for security and the retinue was included yet carefully hidden in the IRA package.

pupperoni.JPG (58.39 KiB) Viewed 651 times

699 Suite.JPG (76.11 KiB) Viewed 651 times

Behold, the most expensive hotel suite in Washington, D.C. At $18,500 a night, this suite totals 4,000-square-feet with the added bonus of a 1,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with a firepit. While the suite is listed online with one bedroom and one-and-a-half bathrooms, the corridor is customizable to the point where you can add five additional bedrooms to your stay. One of the most unique features is that the corridor to the suite has closed caption security cameras. It is also the only suite in Washington, D.C. that is equipped with bullet-resistant windows, according to Director of Public Relations of the Four Seasons Hotel Liliana Baldassar. While the Royal Suite is not allowed for parties or cocktail receptions, the suite does come with a closed off area for an office and a room that can function as both a dining room and a business meeting area. For those who hate to walk through the lobby of the hotel, the suite offers a private entrance from M Street NW. Despite the Four Seasons Hotel opening in Washington, D.C. in 1979, the Royal Suite was not added until 2009. The space that the suite is located in was formerly leased for office space and was designed by Principal of Anderson Miller Ltd. Pamela Anderson. Take a tour of the Four Seasons' Royal Suite by browsing through the photo gallery below. Be warned, though. You might fall so hard from house love that you'll consider disowning your own home—for a hotel room, no less.

https://dc.curbed.com/2015/7/21/9939724 ... georgetown


The GOP was clearly TERRIFIED by the 699th, knew they had lost and didn't dare to try to push it. At one point, Josh Hawley and Tom Cotton started trying to make a move, but Mitch McConnell warned them they would, "hear the distant whop whop whop of helicopters, the faint puff of tiny parachutes opening and the ferocious welps of highly trained Assault Dachshunds as they descend and it would be the final things they see and hear" and they folded like cheap suits, backed the fu*k down and apologized.

A grateful nation is clamoring for these to be awarded, they are working on pup sizes and can't say any more about that. Thank you for Justice with Lt Col Root Beer, Lt Biscuit & the 699th Airborne Assault Dachshund Regiment based at Der Dachshundbünker!

medaloffreedom3.jpg (50.54 KiB) Viewed 651 times

[Luke]

Too also, Marsha Blackburn was especially nasty and creepy last night.

[keith]

the corridor to the suite has closed caption security cameras. It is also the only suite in Washington, D.C. that is equipped with bullet-resistant windows, according

Closed CIRCUIT security cameras maybe?