03/29/04 DC’s AccessRx Act

[Poster]

Yes, the District of Columbia is joining in on the fight for lower prescription costs. Local lawmakers want full disclosures on the true costs and their marketing. They also want to know just what’s going on between pharmacies, insurance companies and the pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“If signed by the mayor, the new law, written by council members David A. Catania (R-At Large) and Sandy Allen (D-Ward 8) would use "manufacturer rebates, pharmacy discounts and aggregate purchasing" (and, possibly, Canadian purchasing) to bring down the prices of drugs bought for publicly funded pharmaceutical programs such as Medicaid and the D.C. Health Care Alliance.”

“Mr. Catania points out that a series of lawsuits against these intermediaries, four of whom control the vast majority of the market, have recently alleged that they pocket rebates, inflate drug prices and pay kickbacks to insurers.”

To read more go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...-2004Mar28.html

[Woerner]

3/30/04

Insurers and Drugmakers Spent Millions Lobbying for Medicare

Annual disclosure reports show that the companies who now have pricey government contracts to provided discount prescription drugs, spent $65 million to get the bill passed. The assumption is that the biggest spenders won billion dollars contracts, ensuring their financial future.

"This confirms the growing belief among seniors that this legislation is a bonanza for the drug companies, various insurance companies and others who have a commercial stake in this legislation," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. The advocacy group opposed the Medicare reform bill.”

“The brass ring companies are grabbing for is the $400 billion to
$500 billion Congress and the White House estimate the government will spend for prescription drugs on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries over the next 10 years.”

To read more go to: http://www.coshoctontribune.com/news/stories/20040330/localnews/175580.html