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Press Release
Legislature Fails to Lower Prescription Drug Prices
Pharmaceutical manufacturers score win with funnel death of Fair Market Drug Pricing Act
Des Moines/March 10 –The demise of Senate File 161 and House File 152 is a loss for Iowans and a big win for pharmaceutical manufacturers who would have faced negotiated discounts and rebates. "Many good ideas died this week due to partisan politics, and this is one of them," said Matt Russell, health care organizer for Iowa Citizen Action Network. "This legislation would have empowered the state of Iowa to bring down the costs of prescription drugs. Right now, if someone does not have prescription drug coverage they have little power in the market place. This legislation would have pooled them with other people who don’t have prescription drug coverage and the state would have negotiated discounts on their behalf from the manufacturers."
This legislation would have:
- Offered those without prescription drug coverage the option to be added to a large purchasing pool that would also include those using Medicaid.
- Used the preferred drug list for Iowa’s Medicaid program to negotiate rebates and discounts from the pharmaceutical manufacturers. These discounts would apply any time a prescription drug was purchased by or for someone in the pool of Medicaid participants and those without prescription drug coverage.
- Used some of the savings and rebates for administrative costs and pass the remainder of the discount back to those without prescription drug coverage.
- Delivered this program using Iowa’s retail pharmacies, so Iowans without prescription drug coverage can continue to use their pharmacist of choice.
- Imposed penalties and safeguards that punish pharmaceutical manufacturers that attempt to undermine the efficacy of the purchasing pool.
- Strengthened the Medicaid program by increasing the number of people in the pool for which the state is negotiating discounts.
"This legislation represented an opportunity for our state government to pursue cost effective solutions for all Iowans," said Russell. Based on national data, ICAN estimates that as many as 750,000 Iowans do not have prescription drug coverage and pay some of the highest prices in the world.
ICAN worked for over a year pursuing this legislation and organizing Iowans to demand it. In August, ICAN delivered 1662 hand written letters to Governor Vilsack calling for the state to use its power to negotiate on behalf of Iowans without prescription drug coverage. ICAN lobbied members of the Human Resources Committees in both the Senate and House with ICAN members contacting their legislators. In the House, Committee Chair Linda Upmeyer refused to assign a subcommittee and in the Senate, the legislation was blocked by Senators Jim Seymour and Nancy Boettger at the subcommittee level.
Guidling Principles of Health Care Reform
Iowa Human Needs Advocates is a working group of over 30 organizations that advocate in the human services arena. ICAN and IHNA have drafted guiding principles for health care reform in Iowa.
EVENT
RESOURCES
People or Profits: The Game Show
Iowa Human Needs Advocates is a working group of over 30 organizations that advocate in the human services arena. ICAN and IHNA have drafted guiding principles for health care reform in Iowa.
Learn more and take action here, a web site for consumers who want to join the fight for fair prescription drugs prices.
STATEMENT
ICAN organizer Matt Russell addresses committee members regarding the need for prescription drug price relief in Iowa. Read his statement here.
REPORTS
The Excess Cost of the Bush Prescription Drug Plan in Iowa
Learn about how Medicare Part D wastes Iowa taxpayer money and how we can fix this disasterous plan.
Health Care in Iowa: A Continuing Problem of Access
Iowa Policy Project has released this new report on health care access. One in 11 Iowans falls through the cracks of health-care coverage in Iowa, lacking access to health insurance through an employer or through government services – and despite some recent gains, the percentage of Iowans who are uninsured has not improved from the start of the decade.
Medicaid at 40: A Service That Works, For Americans Who Need It
IOWANS FACE RISING DRUG COST BURDEN: Iowa among the states most affected by rising prescription drug costs. Read entire report here.
MEDICARE CAMPAIGN
How will the Bush Medicare Prescription Drug Law affect your budget in 2006? Click here for a month-by-month cost analysis.
To see Important Facts You Need to Know About the Bush Medicare Prescription Law of 2003, click here.
For a fact sheet about The Medicare Prescription Discount Drug Card, click here.
To see how the discount card costs compares unfavorably to VA, Canada, and drugstore.com, click here.
Medicare Worksheet - to estimate what you will have to pay in 2006 for prescription drugs, download and print this worksheet.
NEWS FROM THE ROAD
Medicare Road Show Picks Up Steam in the Midwest, April 13, 2004: Des Moines, Iowa.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Q & A
The new Medicare law is extremely complicated and extremely politicized. Click here for a question and answer resource from FamiliesUSA that can help you better understand the effects of this law.
HEALTH CARE PRINCIPLES
These principles are the cornerstone of a quality health care system. Any health care proposal must bring us closer to meeting them.
JOINT STATEMENTS
A coalition of groups demands that Senator Grassley protect Medicaid funding. Read the letter here.
Joint statement on the effects of the Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003
REPORT
Congress’ Prescription Deal Costs Iowans More and Undermines the Entire Medicare System. Released 11/18/03 by ICAN and the Institute for America's Future. Click here.
FACT SHEETS
The Medicare Part D Disaster: Extend the May 15 Deadline
State Rx for 2005: House File 152
Our Fight for Fair Prescription Drug Prices
Capping Medicaid Funding: How Block Grants Would Hurt States -- Families USA, December 2004
Comparing the Medicare prescription drug proposals: Senate, House, and Conference
Iowa State Prescription Fact Sheet
IN THE NEWS
3/25/06, Des Moines Register: Drug-benefit cost: A whopper
3/22/06, Radio Iowa: Group seeks changes in Medicare prescription drug benefit
09/27/05, Quad City Times: Putting a face on budget plight
09/20/05, Des Moines Register: Hearings planned on cuts to social programs
08/13/05, Quad City Times: Letter to the editor -- Health care coverage still a major concern
08/10/05, Des Moines Register: Editorial -- Everyone deserves health-care coverage
08/04/05, Newsradio 1040 WHO: Medicaid Turns 40
07/16/05, Vilsack touts Medicaid effort as national model to fellow governors
PRESS RELEASES
04/20/06 - Extend the May 15 Deadline to Sign Up for Prescription Drug Benefit
