PROP. 79 PRO: CALIFORNIA WOULD GAIN POWER IN DRUG PURCHASES.Byline: Harrison Sheppard Sacramento Bureau SACRAMENTO - The consumer groups that authored the Proposition 79 discount-drug measure say it would provide greater savings for consumers and stronger incentives to persuade the pharmaceutical industry to participate. The measure would leverage the state's purchasing power Purchasing Power 1. The value of a currency expressed in terms of the amount of goods or services that one unit of money can buy. Purchasing power is important because, all else being equal, inflation decreases the amount of goods or services you'd be able to purchase. 2. to ensure participation by the drug industry. If a company chooses not to participate, the state could decline to buy drugs for the Medi-Cal program from that company, if there are alternative drugs available from other companies. For a $10 application fee, the measure would provide drug discounts to uninsured and underinsured un·der·in·sure tr.v. un·der·in·sured, un·der·in·sur·ing, un·der·in·sures To insure under a policy that provides inadequate benefits: Be certain that you are not underinsured against catastrophic illness. Californians who earn up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. That means it would apply to individuals earning about $38,000 a year, or a family of four earning $77,000 or less. Supporters estimate that would equate e·quate v. e·quat·ed, e·quat·ing, e·quates v.tr. 1. To make equal or equivalent. 2. To reduce to a standard or an average; equalize. 3. to as many as 10 million Californians. The measure is competing on the ballot with Proposition 78, written by the pharmaceutical industry. If more than 50 percent of voters approve both measures, only the one with the most votes will take effect. ``Prop. 78, which is sponsored by the drug companies, is a ploy ploy n. An action calculated to frustrate an opponent or gain an advantage indirectly or deviously; a maneuver: "A typical ploy is to feign illness, procure medicine, then sell it on the black market" to confuse people about Prop. 79, which would provide cheaper drugs that more Californians can count on,'' said Anthony Wright Anthony Wright or Tony Wright or could be
Proposition 79, he said, forces drug companies to participate because the state could stop contracting for Medi-Cal with those that decline to provide the discounts. Proposition 79 also would apply to far more Californians and would offer steeper discounts than Proposition 78, he said. Consumer groups have raised less than $1 million in their support efforts, but are getting some assistance from the Alliance for a Better California and other groups that have raised tens of millions of dollars to fight several measures on the November ballot. Harrison Sheppard, (916) 446-6723 harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com PROPOSITION 79 Prescription drug prescription drug Prescription medication Pharmacology An FDA-approved drug which must, by federal law or regulation, be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription–eg, finished dose form and active ingredients subject to the provisos of the Federal Food, Drug, discounts - state-negotiated rebates What it does: Provides drug discounts to Californians with qualifying incomes, funded by state-negotiated rebates from drug manufacturers. Prohibits Medi-Cal contracts with manufacturers not providing Medicaid best price. Key Supporters: AARP AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan national organization dedicated to "enriching the experience of aging"; membership is open to people age 50 or older. Founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus as American Association of Retired Persons, AARP now has over 30 million , Consumers Union, League of Women Voters League of Women Voters, voluntary public service organization of U.S. citizens. Organized in 1920 in Chicago as an outgrowth of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, it had as its original nucleus the leaders of the latter organization. , Health Access of California. Key Opponents: Pharmaceutical industry, California Industry (or City of Industry) is a city in the San Gabriel Valley section of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It was incorporated June 18, 1957. The population was 777 at the 2000 census. Senior Advocates League, Californians for Patient Care, Association of Concerned Taxpayers. Fiscal impact: The Legislative Analyst's Office estimates state costs for administration and outreach in low tens of millions of dollars a year, as well as state costs for advance funding of rebates. Unknown potentially significant savings for state and county health programs, as well as net costs or savings for Medi-Cal. Web sites: www.voteyesonprop79.org, www.ss.ca.gov, www.calrxnow.org CAPTION(S): box Box: PROPOSITION 79 (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion