Numerous Grant Programs Fatten Cost of Health Care Reform

Numerous Grant Programs Fatten Cost of Health Care Reform

www.foxnews.com

There are a host of grant programs and other projects created under the health care reform bills that will cost billions on an annual basis, but have not attracted much attention in the debate so far.
Americans concerned that Congress may have forgotten the value of their tax dollar.... there are a host of smaller programs that are sopping up federal dollars without a whole lot of public scrutiny.

And, they add up.

"There's definitely a lot of waste in it," said Erica Gordon, director of government affairs with Citizens Against Government Waste.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is not a health care bill, this is a Democratic pork bill!

2000 pages and definately a lot of waist in this bill is a good summation! Like:

"The money would go toward interpreter services to help break through the language barrier between the providers and those who need medical help.

The cost: $16 million a year. No grant could be over $500,000."
Or:
"Improving "family economic self-sufficiency." Not all of those goals are health care-related, though, and are included in a section that asks states to conduct "needs assessments" examining issues like high-school dropout rates and unemployment."
Or:
"to award grants to promote healthy behavior in medically underserved areas. The goal would be to educate those communities about the risks associated with poor nutrition, tobacco use, lack of exercise and other health problems."
Or:
"The program would allow the secretary to make grants or award contracts to entities that can develop and operate a professional program for dentists and other professionals would who work in the field."
Or:
o award grants to small businesses to cover 50 percent of costs associated with wellness programs. These programs could include services ranging from health screenings to counseling to online programs and deal with issues like obesity, stress management and depression. Cost: Unknown."

Or the "LOUISIANA PURCHASE":

'Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who for weeks was publicly undecided on whether she would vote with her Democratic colleagues to bring up the health care bill for debate, won a hefty concession from Majority Leader Harry Reid before finally voting to proceed. The concession comes in a section that increases Medicaid subsidies for states recovering from a major disaster within the last seven years -- meaning, Louisiana."

The cost: Somewhere between $100 million and $300 million.

Or how about a hefty amount of extra protection for BIG PHARMA?

"Patent Protection for Drug Companies

Section 7001 of the Senate bill protects manufacturers of biotechnology drugs, or biologics, from competition from generic brands for 12 years, which is more than the seven years recommended by the Obama administration."

12 years! 12 YEARS! That is just incredible! What an unbelievable money grant to Big Pharma!! By Obama / Pelosi? Reid!

And the American people know nothing about all of this!

Absolutely incredible!

How stupid do they think we are?




www.foxnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 25/11/09 by plumranch]

The drug bill will give big PHARMA and incredible monopoly!

"Damaging legislation embedded in the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee health care bills inordinately delays generic biologics by creating 12 years of monopoly price protection after FDA approval, independent of patent protection!

The legislation also leaves open the possibility to “evergreen” monopoly price protections and further postpone a generic market.

In contrast, monopoly prices for traditional drugs are only protected for 5 years after FDA approval."

Billions at stake in ‘biologic’ medicines