Nixon plan aims for cheaper drugs

by Mike Penprase
 
The idea of obtaining prescription medicines at little or no cost with a lot less hassle caught Andy Sukut's attention Tuesday. So much so that the retiree interrupted a pool game at the South Side Senior Center to hear Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon talk about the idea.

"We've got limited income, and all the medicines keep going up and up and up," said Sukut, who joined those listening while dozens of other seniors lunched on veal or turkey in another room.

Nixon unveiled his Prescription Drug Access Technology Initiative at 2215 S. Fremont Ave. The program will allow health care providers to surf the Internet for free or reduced-cost prescription drugs from 200 different programs.

The initiative calls for health providers to be awarded grants to purchase hardware, software and training to access the computerized programs.

Funding will come from $630,000 Missouri received as part of a 29-state settlement with Caremark prescription service over drug-switching complaints. The settlement requires the states to use $22 million to assist low-income, disabled or elderly residents in obtaining low- or no-cost prescription drugs, for drug education and other services.

The state also received $300,000 to cover the costs of pursuing the complaint against Caremark.

Nixon authorized the program after a team led by Assistant Attorney General Peter Lyskowski looked at options on how to use the Caremark money.

Outlining the program, Nixon said agencies using the prescription drug technology will talk to applicants, determine eligibility and then input the information and search for the best source for medicines.

The plan allows physicians, health clinics, senior centers, libraries and other facilities dealing with low-income or elderly people to apply for grants, Lyskowski said.

The program is being fast-tracked, with an application deadline of March 21.

Nixon said there already is evidence a community-based program works.

A regional program in the northeast part of the state generated more than $1 million in free and reduced-cost prescription medicines in the past two years, he said.

"It's really an elegant solution," said Citizens Memorial Hospital representative John Howell.

In some rural areas, some low-income and elderly patients are forced to decide whether to eat or pay for prescriptions, Howell said.

He said going without prescriptions is hazardous to the elderly, who have less ability to rebound from interruptions in the flow of their medicines.

Source: Springfield News Leader