Commissioner Suggests That States Buy Prescription Drugs Collectively.

After two months of statewide hearings on prescription-drug costs, Washington Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn has issued a white paper calling for a number of reforms, including recommendations that the federal government should permit interstate Medicaid/Medicare drug-purchasing cooperatives and that the Washington state Legislature should explore working with other states to purchase drugs together for state programs and low-income people. The purpose of the cooperatives would be to reduce prescription drug costs.

Senior citizens and the disabled are hit hardest by the rising cost of prescription drugs, according to the white paper. Poignant testimony at the hearings underscored the need for urgent action, Senn said in a statement.

The white paper recommends that the federal government establish a national drug program for seniors and assist states that try to establish cost-saving efforts. The state Legislature is urged to create a pharmacy-assistance program for seniors and eliminate discrimination in drug coverage by passing legislation such as a contraceptive-cover age mandate and mental health parity bills. The parity bills would prevent different payment schedules for mental-health drugs.

The report also commits the commissioner's office to regulatory changes, including:

* requiring insurance companies to fully disclose drug benefits;

* prohibiting gender or other discrimination in formulary design;

* enhancing the role of pharmacists and other underutilized health providers; and

* guaranteeing that health plan drug benefits offer a full range of drugs.