Last
week’s announcement by national retailers of $4 prescriptions on a
small number of generic prescription medications helped highlight a
real health care problem – the out-of-control costs of prescription
drugs. However, Oregon already has a program in place that frequently
matches or exceeds the retail savings on thousands of prescription
drugs, including brand name medications like Lipitor, Singulair,
Zithromax, and others. Additionally, the Oregon Prescription Drug
Program (OPDP) provides tremendous access – 90 percent of both
independent and chain pharmacies across Oregon participate in OPDP.
“
Oregon ’s program is impressive,” said Jerry Cohen, State Director of
AARP Oregon, which served as co-petitioner with Sen. Bill Morrisette on
Measure 44., “It uses the power of bulk purchasing to negotiate low
prices, and Measure 44 will make it even more effective and expansive
by dramatically increasing the number of Oregonians who can
participate, regardless of age or income.”
OPDP uses the same technique that the large retailers to negotiate
lower prices – bulk purchasing – but passes the savings directly onto
consumers. For example , for OPDP’s top 20 prescribed drugs, OPDP’s
prices average 18%-49% lower than the price charged by large retailers,
including those offering the $4 prescriptions.
“Not
every Oregon community has a large retailer offering a discount on a
handful of generic drugs,” said Maribeth Healey, spokesperson for the
Yes on Measure 44 Campaign, Prescription for a Healthy Oregon. “OPDP is
a simple and smart approach with a proven track record of saving
Oregonians money on their medicines – with the same or better prices on
both generic and brand-name drugs – that’s available in communities
across the state.”
There are currently 4,000 individuals in the Oregon Prescription Drug
Program, which is currently limited to Oregonians over the age of 54
with incomes of less than $18,130 a year and who have been without
prescription drug coverage for at least six months. Measure 44 will
eliminate those restrictions, opening up the groundbreaking program to
an estimated one million Oregonians without prescription drug
insurance, regardless of age or income.
“People
shouldn’t have to drive across the border to Canada or Mexico to find
prescriptions they can afford. We should be able to buy our medicine
right here at home”, said Laura Etherton, consumer advocate for OSPIRG,
a member of the Prescription for a Healthy Oregon coalition . “Measure
44 won’t cost taxpayers a single extra penny because the program is
already in place and pays for itself.”
Measure 44 is YES on Measure 44—Prescription for a Healthy Oregon is
supported by a growing coalition of concerned Oregonians and
organizations including the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, Oregon
Nurses Association, Oregon Business Association, AARP Oregon, SEIU
Local 503, Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, Oregon
Medical Association, Oregon College of Emergency Physicians, Ecumenical
Ministries of Oregon, Our Oregon, Oregonians for Health Security and
Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG).
