January
2007 »
Lawmakers Back Plan To Buy Cheaper Generic Drugs
18 January, 2007
DENVER State lawmakers on Wednesday
tentatively backed a proposal to allow the state to
negotiate to buy cheaper generic drugs and then sell
them to eligible residents through pharmacies.
The program is aimed at people who earn too much to
qualify for Medicaid but can't afford health insurance.
Any legal resident who earns less than 300 percent of
the federal poverty level would qualify under the proposal
(Senate Bill 1). That's $28,000 a year or less for an
individual and less than $70,000 for a family of four.
Participants would have to pay a membership fee to
cover the costs of running the program. That fee can't
be more than $20.
Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, said he thought the
program should be open to any state resident because
even people that earn more money are struggling to pay
for prescription drugs. But Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley,
said small business owners like himself may decide to
drop their prescription coverage for their employees.
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