Recorded presentation

Joel Albers, PharmD, PhD, Minnesota Universal Health Care Action Network, 1301 6th st se, Minneapolis, MN 55414, 612-379-1813, joelalbers@netscape.net

In contrast to the 100 year U.S. health care reform struggle, the prescription drug price reform struggle in the states has made significant progress in only the last ten years.This was marked by the seniors' revolt with bus trips to Canada, and legislative attempts. Maine was the breakthrough state in 2003 when the supreme court upheld their 2000 law that would lower prices substantially for 275,000 of 325,ooo uninsured for Rx drugs. Now many Americans are importing prescription drugs from Canada. State governments, faced with budget crises, have recently joined this fight to expose pharmaceutical industry price discrimination. In the absence of a substantial Medicare prescription drug benefit, the stage is set for expanding these initiatives into real reform in other states and nationally.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the history of prescription drug price reform approaches in the states since 1993.
• Identify best policy practices and apply them to your state.

Keywords: Drugs, Public Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation