program? reporter: jose, i just wanted to point out that the reason why these new programs are so significant is that for the first time, the federal government is really flexing its bulk purchasing power on behalf of the american people. you can go to the usps website, order your test kits, and they say they will be at your door withi 7 to 12 days. there are three conditions under which you should use these tests. first, if you have covid symptoms. second, if you know that you were exposed to covid, wait five days, then use the tests. or third, if you are in a closed setting with someone who is high risk. now, the thing that struck me most about this interview, though, jose, was that the testing coordinator said, this is not just about getting over omicron, this is about the long-term and living with covid as just a part of daily life. take a listen. i think we re hopeful that we are going to get through omicron and get to a better place soon, but we are absolutely preparing
welcome back to morning joe, joining us now is chris murphy of connecticut. he s a member of the foreign relations committee. a lot going on. just a tad. let s start with trying to get this legislation through. there is talks that democrats may be table to have something to sell including lowering prescription drug prices, is that going to happen? it s going to happen. copays and drugs that are through the roof. what we did was we reached a historic deal and we ll allow for medicare to use its bulk purchasing power to drive down the cost of costs. 20 of the drugs will be purchased through medicare and they ll cut the price of these drugs in half and get 30% or 50%
prescription drug prices to lower drug prices. that in itself would be billions in cost savings to our health care system and taxpayers. the republican prescription drug bill when was it was first written by and for the drug companies because the wording in there says and i m quoting, secretary of health and human services will not use purchasing power to negotiate on price. that s ludicrous. i come from canada, every other country figures out why can t the government use bulk purchasing power when doi doing that. america for bids it. president trump went on the campaign trail went after prescription drug pricing. is there a place beyond being distressed and upset about in the bill, is there a place you can work with republicanso try to find some of these it was encouraging on the campaign to hear president trump on prescription drugs and we should use bulk purchasing
now. meanwhile, a new poll finds that 49% of people feel the affordable care act is a bad idea. is it your opinion, sir, that this is based on the real numbers? or is it simply a failure on the part of the administration in explaining to the american people exactly how beneficial the affordable care act can be? well, i think the responsibility is shared. it s not only the administration, but those of us in congress i think haven t done a very good job in getting the word out about how the affordable care act is going to operate and in particular, one of the best features which are the health insurance exchanges that allow individuals and small employers to basically get the bulk purchasing power of millions of others to buy plans at affordable rates, and in fact, what we re seeing in california is the overwhelming majority of plans participating in health insurance exchanges and the premiums that are being projected are very reasonable. so the doomsayers and the naysayers who are s