[Winona Online Democracy]
Just a post from a pharmacy perspective about Canadian Drugs. Some of the
savings we are seeing on drugs from Canada have to do with the exchange
rate. The manufacturers will point this out also. At last report, the
exchange rate was 75-76 cents giving an automatic 24-25% savings. Also,
Canadian pharmacies only purchase drugs from the government and the
inventory in those pharmacies is "on consignment". The pharmacies do not
pay for the drugs until they are sold. In contrast, most US pharmacies have
to carry well over $100,000 in inventory to satisfy the needs of our
patients.
The Minnesota Pharmacists Association has taken a position against
the re-importation issue for several reasons. We can argue the safety
issue, but I believe that is a weak point as all the drugs are made is US
factories under FDA supervision. The real point is the inability of US
pharmacies to purchase pharmaceuticals at the Canadian contract prices. By
allowing the sale of foreign drugs in this country and particularly this
state, it is suggested by the Pharmacists Association that many Minnesota
Pharmacies would be forced to close. With insurance being generally over
80% of the business pharmacies do, our margins have shrunk to 1/4 what they
were even 10 years ago. With a national shortage of pharmacists, labor
costs also continue to rise. Somewhere the "rubber had to meet the road"
and independent pharmacies will suffer the most. The Association claims
that net profits for pharmacies is only about 2% and the loss of business to
Canadian and other countries would put pharmacies into the red and many out
of business.
Personally, I think it's time the manufacturers were called to task
and forced to contract with States, as they have with Canada. I think the
states should be the place for these negotiations, not the Federal
government. Each state has unique populations and market influences and
would be more appropriate. This idea as proposed in Minnesota in a
legislative session a while back, and was soundly defeated by drug company
lobbying. It would be worth a try again. Many people do not know that
non-profit institutions such as some hospitals, nursing homes, and "teaching
clinics" now have group contracts for certain drugs at lower prices.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I think we need to look at the
pharmaceutical issue from all angles. Finally, pharmacist contact with our
patients is not only essential, but required in most cases. Medicaid
patients must be counseled about their prescriptions. How can a foreign
pharmacy give you the most accurate and personal information on your
prescription? Your local pharmacies do and in a very professional manner.
All of us are willing to answer questions and if we don't have an answer,
know where to get that answer. Dick Gaffron
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fellman's" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Dwayne Voegeli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 10:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Winona] Insurance Execs Bribing Democrats AND Republicans?
> [Winona Online Democracy]
>
> In answer to Dwayne's question about why drugs are so much cheaper in
> Canada...... Could it be that because in their government run, single
payer
> system that healthcare is rationed and therefore the demand for drugs is
> low....
>
> Just a thought, no real basis in fact.
>
> Greg Fellman
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dwayne Voegeli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 10:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [Winona] Insurance Execs Bribing Democrats AND Republicans?
>
>
> > [Winona Online Democracy]
> >
> > (First of all, I aplogize that the mysterious missing e-mails I had sent
> > over the weekend seemed to reappear from cyberspace limbo. I'm sorry
for
> > clogging up your in boxes with repetitive messages. Others seemed to
have
> > had the same problem. Solar storms? Soviets? Bad e-mail karma?)
> >
> > -----
> >
> > Back to John Finn's and Paul Double's E-mails about Health Insurance.
> >
> > -----
> >
> > John, I think I read the same article you did about the cash-payment
only
> > doctors. Was it in last week's Wall Street Journal?
> >
> > In any event, it is an interesting idea.
> >
> > You finished by saying, "the debate over what constitutes a living wage
> and
> > which employers are 'good or bad' is muddled by having an employment
based
> > health insurance system." I completely agree. One of the biggest
winners
> > in a single payer system would be small and medium sized business owners
> > who would get the health care coverage monkey off their backs.
> >
> > (There is a great article about the problems that soaring health care
> costs
> > are causing between workers and business owners in the Business Section
of
> > the Sunday, November 2, 2003 edition of the Star Tribune. I would have
> > included the URL but I can not seem to access their archives even though
> > I'm a subscriber.)
> >
> > -----
> >
> > To Paul Double, you are scaring me. We're beginning to agree on a lot
> when
> > it comes to health care reform.
> >
> > ;->
> >
> > You're also starting to sound like a Teddy Roosevelt Republican. Maybe
> the
> > Republic can be saved from the aristocrats who want to turn it into an
> > Empire after all.
> >
> > About elections. You can't seperate health care reform from democratic
> > reform (read campaign finance reforms). Until and unless the
Republicans
> > and Democrats support the Fair and Clean Election (F.A.C.E.) bill in the
> > Minnesota Legislature, we will not see real health care reform in the
> state
> > because super-big drug and insurance corporations own both parties, at
> > least the tops of both organizations.
> >
> > Publicly funded campaigns first. (they would be voluntary)
> >
> > Health care reform that truly benefits the public second.
> >
> > Again, why are drugs so much cheaper in Canada in the first place?
> >
> > Dwayne Voegeli
> >
> > ==================
> >
> >
> > >From: "John N. Finn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >To: "Online Democracy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 05:40:24 -0600
> > >Status:
> > >
> > >[Winona Online Democracy]
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >To: "Online Democracy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >Sent: 11 novembre, 2003 14:52
> > >Subject: FW: [Winona] Insurance Execs Bribing Democrats AND
Republicans?
> > >
> > >
> > >................. What maybe will be different in the next two years is
> the
> > >fact that the public conservatives, liberals and others appear to be
> ready
> > >to partner at
> > >least on healthcare "solutions". .............
> > >
> > >----- Response -----
> > >
> > >I'm not sure how relevant this is, but I recently read an article about
a
> > >doctor that runs a 'cash at time of treatment' clinic. That is, he
> accepts
> > >no insurance or third party payments, thus greatly reducing his
paperwork
> > >shuffling overhead costs. His customers include those lacking
insurance,
> of
> > >course, but also some that are covered because his fees are often not
> much
> > >more that the co-pays they would have had to pay in their plan's
network.
> > >
> > >Also, it seems to me that the debate over what constitutes a living
wage
> and
> > >which employers are 'good or bad' is muddled by having an employment
> based
> > >health insurance system.
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
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> page at
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> > >
> >
> > ------------
> >
> > Dwayne Voegeli
> >
> > Winona County Commissioner, District #2
> >
> > (507) 453-9012
> >
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > 359 Pleasant Hill Dr.
> > Winona, MN 55987
> >
> > ------------
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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> page at
> > http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy
> All messages must be signed by the senders actual name.
> No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list.
> To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit
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