Kaiser Poll: Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and Independents Support Actions to Lower Drug Costs, Including Allowing Americans to Buy Drugs from Canada

Most Say Importing Canadian Drugs Would Lower Costs Without Affecting Quality, Though Some Have Concerns About Unsafe Drugs and Disincentives for Research and Development

May 01, 2017--When asked about a series of health care priorities facing President Trump and Congress, six in 10 Americans (60%) identify lowering the cost of prescription drugs as a “top priority” for President Trump and Congress – including majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans.

The latest Kaiser Health Tracking Survey examines the public’s views on potential policies to address drug costs – and finds majority support for nine different potential actions. 

This includes overwhelming support for allowing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to get a lower price on medications for people on Medicare (92%), making it easier for generic drugs to come to market (87%), and requiring drug companies to release information to the public on how they set drug prices (86%).

Other proposals with significant majority support include allowing Americans to buy prescription drugs imported from Canada (72%) or from online pharmacies based in Canada (64%).

A majority of Republicans, Democrats, and independents favor eight of the nine specific policies.  The lone exception is encouraging people to buy lower-cost drugs by requiring them to pay a higher share if they choose a similar, higher-cost drug – favored by majorities of Republicans (57%) and independents (60%) but a smaller share of Democrats (40%).

The poll also probes more deeply into the public’s views of how allowing Americans to import drugs from Canada or purchase drugs through online Canadian pharmacies would impact costs, quality and safety.

Most think that each of these policy changes would make medicines more affordable without sacrificing safety or quality (76% say this about imported drugs; 68% say so about online pharmacy sales).

Fewer say either change would expose Americans to unsafe medicines from other countries (35% and 39%, respectively) or lead U.S. drug companies to do less research and development (29% and 33%, respectively).

The findings come from the late April Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and conducted from April 17- April 23 among a nationally representative random digit dial telephone sample of 1,171 adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish by landline (421) and cell phone (750). The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.

New Survey: Consumers Hold Drug Companies Responsible for High Prices and Out-of-Pocket Costs

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new national survey finds most voters blame drug companies not only for high drug prices, but also for out-of-pocket costs. The findings undermine the drug industry's $100 million PR campaign to blame higher costs on employers, unions, health plans and the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) they use to negotiate discounts on prescription drugs.

"Consumers are well aware drug companies set drug prices and they know higher prices mean higher out-of-pocket costs. No one's buying the drug companies' campaign to shift blame to employers, unions, plans, or the PBMs that negotiate discounts on their behalf," said Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt.

North Star Opinion Research surveyed 1,000 registered voters nationwide.

Key findings from survey include:

By almost 3-to-1, voters blame high drug prices for increased cost-sharing.

Only 1-in-5 voters buy the drugmakers' "rebates cause high prices" message.

Three-quarters of voters say the cost of prescription drugs is too high.

More than 4-of-5 voters with prescription drug coverage are satisfied with it.

PCMA is the national association representing America's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). PBMs administer prescription drug plans for more than 266 million Americans who have health insurance from a variety of sponsors including: commercial health plans, self-insured employer plans, union plans, Medicare Part D plans, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), state government employee plans, managed Medicaid plans, and others.

SOURCE Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

ADVOCACY GROUPS LAUNCH JOINT EFFORT TO ENSURE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ADDRESS LOWER DRUG COSTS AT NEXT DEBATE

Effort will give voice to millions of Americans who support access to personal importation of safe, affordable prescriptions

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA, October 5, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/-- A group of patient advocates and businesses representing the right of Americans to engage in the importation of prescription medications from safe, credentialed international pharmacies, today announced joint support of an unprecedented initiative to ensure presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump address the issue of prescription importation at the second presidential debate.
The group includes Daniel Hines, the publisher of TodaysSeniorsNetwork; RxRights.org; the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation, PharmacyChecker.com, and the Prescription Justice Action Group. Together, these organizations represent more than four million Americans who import medication for personal use each year.

A 500 percent increase in the price of the EpiPen® has elevated the issue of high drug prices to the public’s attention and resulted in Congressional hearings on high drug costs in the U.S. The discussion surrounding unaffordable drug prices, however, has focused almost exclusively on long term solutions.

Americans cannot wait for long term solutions. The Commonwealth Fund reports at least 35 million Americans failed to adhere to their prescribed drug regimens in 2014 due to the high cost of their medications. This non-adherence is estimated to cost $100-$300 billion in avoidable healthcare costs in the U.S. annually, according to a study in Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (2014). Meanwhile, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 71 percent of Americans support access to safe, affordable medications through prescription importation (September, 2016).

The group is asking Americans to support the issue by voting for its importation question through the Open Debate Coalition forum, at https://presidentialopenquestions.com/questions/12064/vote/. It is also encouraging supporters to share their stories on social media and let the moderators of the October 9 presidential debate, Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, know that Americans want the presidential candidates to explain how they will provide immediate relief on drug prices and how they’ll fight to increase access to safe, affordable medications through prescription importation. Supporters should use the hashtags #RxAccess and #RxImportation to participate in the discussion.

About TodaysSeniorsNetwork
TodaysSeniorsNetwork , which includes RxforAmericanHealth and the AmericanRxBillofRights, is America's leading information source for seniors an issues facing an aging America. Publisher Daniel Hines, an international award-winning communicator brings his unique perspective to a host of issues based on his extensive work with policy-makers at the local, state and Federal levels, elected officials, seniors' and other advocacy groups, and who has worked extensively on behalf of personal importation of safe, affordable prescription medicines for 15 years. For the official blog, visithttp://www.todaysseniorsnetwork.com and for more information, contact Daniel Hines at 636.399.2849 or todaysseniorsnet@sbcglobal.net. 

About RxRights
RxRights is a national nonprofit coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to raising awareness and spurring action around issues related to U.S. prescription drug pricing. We support the right of Americans to import medicine from legitimate, licensed online and mail order international pharmacies. RxRights.org serves as a forum for individuals to share experiences and voice opinions regarding Americans’ need for affordable prescription drugs. We encourage participation and discussion through our website. For more information visit www.rxrights.org or contact Lee Graczyk: lee@rxrights.org or 1-866-703-5442.

About Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation
Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI) is a national nonprofit patient advocacy organization that advocates for Americans’ access to safe, affordable prescription medications from Canada for personal use. Tens of millions of Americans – especially the elderly and others on fixed incomes – struggle to pay the extremely high price of prescription medications in the U.S. We are here to be a voice for them. For more information visit www.personalimportation.org or contact Rebecca Kelley at info@personalimportation.org or 202.765.3290.

About PharmacyChecker.com
PharmacyChecker.com (www.pharmacychecker.com) is the only independent company that verifies U.S. and international online pharmacies and compares prescription drug prices. Our verifications and price comparisons have been referenced by AARP Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and many others. We were formed in 2002 when our founder, Tod Cooperman, M.D., saw that increasing numbers of Americans were looking on the Internet to save money on medication but did not have adequate information to protect their health. We are a stakeholder in the online consumer-driven healthcare community, seeking an open Internet environment that promotes innovation and new business models, especially those that serve the public health. For more information, contact Gabriel Levitt at 718.387.4526 or Gabriel.levitt@pharmacychecker.com. 

About Prescription Justice Action Group
Prescription Justice Action Group is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to providing relief and protection for American patients. Prescription Justice Action Group brings together doctors, lawyers, public health advocates, and companies dedicated to helping people afford medication. For more information, contact Jodi Dart at 217.306.5823 or jodi@pjag.org.

 –

Daniel Hines
TodaysSeniorsNetwork
636-399-2849
email us here

RxforAmericanHealth Publisher: Time for Action to Lower Prescription Prices, Stop Pharma Abuses

August 31, 2016--Daniel Hines, publisher of RxforAmericanHealth has written and sent the following letter to Senators calling for an investigation of the pricing abuses of Mylan's EpiPen:

I am writing in my capacity as the publisher of the TodaysSeniorsNetwork blog sites that include TodaysSeniorsNetwork, RxforAmericanHealth, and AmericanRxBillofRights.

I applaud your efforts in calling for investigations into the outrageous pricing practices of Mylan’s EpiPen Auto-Injector.

Hopefully, this or some series of the many investigations that have occurred as a result of public outrage over not just this instance, but a  of pattern of Pharma pricing abuses, will somehow finally lead to true reform.

However, it is undeniable that Pharma has a philosophy of charging what the traffic will bear, irrespective of how many investigations are launched.  Regrettably, the investigations have a familiar outcome:  A group of ‘experts’ testify, questions are asked, statements made, and within weeks, Pharma once again not merely raises prices, but does so to such a level as to threaten the very health and well-being of Americans.

The major problem is that,  as in the old country saying, the horse is out of the barn by the time the investigations are held,  and investigations in and of themselves are brushed aside by Pharma, which continues with its abusive pricing practices.

The EpiPen price increases also illustrate the willingness of Pharma to attack the most vulnerable members of our society.  Its long-standing opposition to Personal Importation became and remains a major issue even with Part D passage as an attack upon America’s Elderly.  At a press conference after a Pfizer Board meeting, then CEO Henry McKinnell commenting on remarks by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said that efforts to lower prescription prices were nothing more than   “a Prairie Fire that breaks about every four years as an election issue and then burns out.’’

Those  comments underlie the attitude that Pharma practices today, more than a decade later.  It acts, Congress reacts, hearings are held, statements issued—and we all brace for Pharma’s next abuse.

The EpiPen price increases were an attack upon the parents and children of America, and those others for whom allergies are not merely a ‘seasonal’ nuisance, but actually potentially life-threatening conditions.

Because of that, rather than merely attempting to find out why or how such predatory pricing occurs, it is time for Congress to take action to introduce and pass comprehensive legislation that will make prescription medicines readily available and affordable for the literally millions of Americans that are denied access to the health benefits possible only through access to a regiment of such safe, effective and affordable medicines.

It is time to face the truth:  irrespective of the potential health benefits from a medicine, an unaffordable medicine is unavailable in and of itself because of its price, and a medicine that is not available and is not taken, is ‘ineffective.’

With that in mind, I am including the articles of the RxBillofRights with this letter.  It includes a series of proposals, many of which you have supported. It is time for a new approach which will have a synergistic favorable impact upon availability, access, price and health benefits.

For the record, I am a long-time supporter of and communications consultant of the  personal importation of safe, affordable brand-name medicines from licensed, registered pharmacies in Tier One countries whose standards of safety and efficacy meet or exceed those of the US.

 

I support immediate favorable action by Congress to allow personal importation as a part of the comprehensive strategy of the AmericanRxBillofRights, since even with investigations, study groups being formed, and the reliance upon generics (which have also undergone outrageous price increases), personal importation offers the only immediate relief to millions of Americans who simply cannot afford their medicines.

The EpiPen issue illustrates that personal importation is the only immediate relief for Pharma pricing practices is, even with the questionable ‘staging’ of the introduction of price reduction certificates and a ‘new’ generic EpiPen, the cost of Epi Pen from Canada is still as much as two-thirds less that the exact authentic product in the U.S.

This and other examples of the benefits of access to safe, authentic medicines show why it  is time to take a new approach towards drug pricing legislation that offer solutions to the  challenges to Americans’  health and well-being from pricing abuses of Pharma.

Thank you for your consideration of this letter. I  look forward to your response, and the opportunity to share it with the many visitors to our sites.

Respectfully,

Daniel Hines

Daniel Hines

PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE RISES, OUT-OF-POCKET SPENDING DROPS AMONG INDIVIDUALS NEWLY INSURED UNDER AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Newswise August 22, 2016 — People who gained health coverage following the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act's coverage expansion sharply increased their use of prescription drugs, while their out-of-pocket spending for medications dropped significantly, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

Studying the experiences of nearly 7 million prescription drug users nationally, researchers found that among those who gained private insurance there was a 28 percent increase in prescriptions filled and a 29 percent reduction in out-of-pocket spending per prescription compared to the previous year when they were uninsured.

Those gaining Medicaid — the government insurance program for low-income people — filled 79 percent more prescriptions and paid 58 less out-of-pocket per prescription after gaining coverage.

The effects were even larger for individuals with one of five chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma that were tracked by researchers. The findings are published online by the journal Health Affairs.

“This is strong evidence that the Affordable Care Act has increased treatment rates while reducing out-of-pocket spending, particularly for people with chronic health conditions,” said Andrew W. Mulcahy, lead author of the study and a health policy researcher at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.

“Improving the treatment of people with chronic conditions is an important step in improving health outcomes.”

The study also tracked the drop in the uninsurance rate among the study population, which was adjusted to be representative of all prescription drug users nationally. Researchers found a 30 percent drop in the number of uninsured from 2013 to 2014.

In addition, states that opted to expand Medicaid by early 2014 had significantly larger declines in uninsurance rates (39 percent) when compared to states that had not (23 percent).

There is little research on the change in health care utilization caused by the ACA. RAND researchers examined changes in prescription use over a three-year period by analyzing prescription transactions for nearly 7 million individuals who had purchased medication from a retail pharmacy in January 2012 prior to the coverage expansion.

Researchers developed methods to assign individuals to insurance status categories by reviewing whether they paid for prescriptions with cash or using insurance coverage. Individuals' prescription purchase patterns were tracked from before the coverage expansion in 2013 through the end of 2014, after the ACA coverage expansion.

People who had one of five chronic condition categories studied — diabetes, high cholesterol, anxiety or depression, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hormone therapy for breast cancer — sharply increased the number of prescriptions filled after gaining coverage, but had lower annual out-of-pocket expenses.

For example, individuals with high cholesterol who gained private coverage had $200 less in annual out-of-pocket spending while those newly covered under Medicaid had $359 less in out-of-pocket spending.

Support for the study was provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Other authors of the study are Christine Eibner of RAND and Kenneth Finegold of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

RAND Health is the nation's largest independent health policy research program, with a broad research portfolio that focuses on population health, health care costs, quality and public health systems, among other topics.