Post Explains the Obstacle to Improving Medicare Drug Bill

Anyone who thought that the reason we are paying so much for drugs under Medicare Part D is that it's difficult to design better policies should read the front page article in today's Post. The article explains that the Democratic leadership backed away from the most obvious steps, like having Medicare offer its own drug plan, because they were worried that the pharmaceutical industry owned too many of its members to get such legislation passed. Therefore, they are trying the back door routes, which provide a far less direct challenge to the pharmaceutical industry. Former Louisiana Senator John Breaux is featured prominently in this story as a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry. Readers may remember Senator Breaux as a Democrat who was widely praised by folks like David Broder and the Washington Post editorial board for his willingness to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. It is interesting to see how his career has developed.

--Dean Baker