Poster
03-08-2004, 10:56 AM
Now that the prescription drug plan is set to go into effect, citizens and political leaders are calling for cheaper drugs. But, setting prices on pharmaceuticals can be a tricky business.
“For most other parts of Medicare, if the prices paid are too low, access to care is affected or threatened in the near term. But prices can be raised before much, if any, damage occurs. The problem in the pharmaceutical area is that much of the expense occurs years before the drugs come to market.”
“So what's the answer? In the short term, the power of group buying that will be exerted by the Medicare prescription drug plans or the new Medicare Advantage plans should be enough to restrain prices on the drugs most heavily used by senior citizens.”
To read more go to: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/8122485.htm
“For most other parts of Medicare, if the prices paid are too low, access to care is affected or threatened in the near term. But prices can be raised before much, if any, damage occurs. The problem in the pharmaceutical area is that much of the expense occurs years before the drugs come to market.”
“So what's the answer? In the short term, the power of group buying that will be exerted by the Medicare prescription drug plans or the new Medicare Advantage plans should be enough to restrain prices on the drugs most heavily used by senior citizens.”
To read more go to: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/8122485.htm