Tag: prescription drugs

State prescription drug purchasing program wins narrow approval in health committee


By changing how prescription drugs are purchased for Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees, the Department of Human Services could save money and provide more transparency to the process, Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester) told the House Health Finance and Policy Committee Monday.

She sponsors HF8, which would move all drug purchasing for public health care programs to the department.

The department currently handles drug purchasing for fee-for-service patients, who make up about 25% of enrollees. The other 75% are in programs whose drug purchasing is handled by managed care organizations and pharmacy benefits managers, she said. Continue reading.

DFL Lawmakers Announce Comprehensive Plan to Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable, Accessible

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – House DFL lawmakers today introduced a comprehensive plan to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible by holding pharmaceutical companies accountable and putting more power in the hands of Minnesotans who are struggling with the skyrocketing cost of needed medications.

Click here to watch a video replay of today’s news conference.

Across the country, Americans are facing a prescription drug pricing crisis. Nearly 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. struggle to afford their prescription drugs, forcing patients to make impossible choices. According to a recent report, 30 percent of Minnesotans say they have not taken their medicine as prescribed due to costs, or have reported skipping doses, cutting pills in half, substituting with over-the-counter drugs, or not filling a prescription in the past year. Continue reading “DFL Lawmakers Announce Comprehensive Plan to Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable, Accessible”