The pharmaceutical industry has announced it will spend up to $150 million on television ads supporting the president’s overhaul of health insurance and health care.
While the sum is enormous, it aligns with the fact that the drug makers stand to gain millions of new customers from the expansion of health care coverage. In a deal already struck with the White House last June, the drug industry pledged to save $80 billion over the next ten years.
The terms of the advertising deal, which have not been fully disclosed until now, are expected to be finalized shortly. The announcement of the authorized ad spend accompanies pressing from the pharmaceutical industry for the White House to establish caps on their contribution — which some Democrats feel should be significantly higher.
Ken Johnson, a spokesman for the industry’s trade group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, told The New York Times: “Our board has agreed to make a significant investment in support of comprehensive reform, ” adding that, “Our August plan is pretty much in place, but we have not finalized all the details of the fall campaign. ” He confirmed it would include grassroots outreach as well.
The drug industry has already contributed millions of dollars to advertising campaigns for the health care overhaul through advocacy groups like Healthy Economies Now and Families USA, and about $1 million on similar advertisements under its own name.