Ep. 15 - ”Definitely not:” COVID-19 vaccination and drug price negotiation

On the FLATLINING Podcast this week, Matthew and Ron take a look at the newest data on opinions about COVID-19 vaccination for young children. More than four in ten parents say they will “definitely not” vaccinate their young child and nearly three in ten say they won’t be able to get the vaccine for their child from a place they trust. We break down the numbers. Medicare drug price negotiation continues to be pushed through Congress, this time making its way into a reconciliation bill. It eliminates some co-insurance and caps some out-of-pocket spending. It also allows the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate for a maximum of twenty drugs. Does this bill actually do what the Democrats claim or will this be the end of a free market economy as some Republicans claim? Or both? Or neither? And in a Final Note: Even more surprising numbers show how few parents have actually talked to their child’s pediatrician about COVID-19 vaccines. Let us know what you think in the comments below, email us at flatlining@substack.com, or tweet Matthew or Ron. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and Audible. Follow Matthew (@radioHandley) and Ron (@RonHowrigon) on Twitter. Articles mentioned in this week’s program: KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: July 2022 - Kaiser Family Foundation Democrats' drug pricing bill still targets plenty of blockbusters - Axios Drug price controls would limit new medicines - Sally Pipes in the Washington Examiner Reducing Patient Access to New Medications: Progressives Latest Medicare Price Fixing Scheme - Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D. in RealClear Health How Would the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Senate Reconciliation Proposal Affect Medicare Beneficiaries? - Kaiser Family Foundation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net