{"id":5084490,"date":"2019-04-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlatinonews.com\/state-bill-seeks-to-lower-sky-rocketing-cost-of-prescription-meds\/"},"modified":"2019-04-22T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-22T04:00:00","slug":"state-bill-seeks-to-lower-sky-rocketing-cost-of-prescription-meds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/ctln\/2019\/04\/22\/state-bill-seeks-to-lower-sky-rocketing-cost-of-prescription-meds\/","title":{"rendered":"State bill seeks to lower sky-rocketing cost of prescription meds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Vicki Adame<\/a>, CtLatinoNews.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

As\nthe price of prescription medications continues to rise, a bill making its way\nthrough the state legislature looks to bring prices down.<\/p>\n\n\n

House bill 7174, contains several proposals that would lower prescription drug prices which would help people have access to the medication they need.<\/p>\n\n\n

Among\nthose supporting the bill is AARP Connecticut. <\/p>\n\n\n

“HB 7174 is the most substantial effort by the state to lower the price of prescription medications we are seeing”, said Anna Doroghazi<\/a>, associate state director \u2013 advocacy and outreach, AARP Connecticut<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cWe\nknow Americans are paying the highest prices in the world for brand name\nprescription medication. We know when they can\u2019t afford them it is a life or\ndeath issue,\u201d Doroghazi, said, adding that 40 percent of older Americans are\nconcerned they will have to choose between food and medication.<\/p>\n\n\n

In a recent study<\/a> conducted by AARP, Hispanic\/Latino voters said the main reason for not filling a prescription was the high cost. 78 percent of those surveyed say they take prescription drugs on a regular basis, 97 percent indicate they take medications on a daily basis, according to the report.<\/p>\n\n\n

HB 7174 seeks to lower prices through several steps, she said. First, it would allow the state comptroller to set up a prescription drug purchasing program, using the state\u2019s buying power to negotiate lower prices for participating individuals and pharmacies.<\/p>\n\n\n

It\nwould also require pharmaceutical companies to disclose to the public any\nagreements that would delay or prevent generic drugs from becoming available to\nconsumers. These agreements, known as \u201cpay-for-delay,\u201d end up costing consumers\nan estimated $3.5 billion in higher prescription costs every year, Doroghazi\nsaid.<\/p>\n\n\n

Certain\nprivate employers would be able to use the state comptroller\u2019s purchasing power\nto buy prescription drugs for their employees. And with limited exception, it\nwould prohibit pharmacy benefits managers and insurance companies from\nrecouping any portion of a claim that was paid to a pharmacy or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n

And\nHB 7174 calls for the creation of a task force to study the issue of drug\nimportation. Connecticut would not be alone in this practice. Other states are\nlooking into re-importing drugs from countries that have negotiated lower\nprices for consumers. Last year, Vermont passed the first-in-the-nation\nlegislation allowing drug re-importation from Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n

Prescription\ndrugs account for more than 30 percent of health insurance premiums, according to\nthe Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, which also supports the\nbill. As premiums climb, individuals are also spending more and more out of\npocket for their medications due to high deductibles, increasing co-pays and\nexpensive co-insurance payments, the foundation said. <\/p>\n\n\n

The\nfoundation said that a recent poll found:<\/p>\n\n\n