It's finally official: will chair the Senate health committee, with as ranking member.
I spoke to both senators about their top priorities and where they diverge:
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For both, an immediate item is addressing the nursing shortage. Sanders acknowledged he won't have the votes for Medicare for All, but wants to build up community health centers and dental care, both of which he thinks will get bipartisan buy-in.
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Cassidy wants to probe the way the Biden administration has implemented a law he co-sponsored to eliminate patients' surprise medical bills, which he argued heavily favors insurers over hospitals.
He's also focused on reauthorizing mental health care coverage.
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Most of all, Sander is focused on high drug costs. No surprise, but he plans to back Rs into a corner:
“If they think that the government should play no role in lowering the cost of prescription drugs, that’s fine...go back to their constituents and tell them that."
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Why are health care journalists so soft on Sander and Wyden. They go after pharma, 10% of the health care dollar, and not hospitals (45%). Drugs have been cost beneficial for the past 70 years. Are hospitals?
Did Willy Sutton go into homes to get money in mattresses? No.
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