New California governor tackles drug prices in first act

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

POLITICS JANUARY 7, 2019 / 7:27 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

New California governor tackles drug prices in first act

Sharon Bernstein
3 MIN READ

(Reuters) - Hours into his new job, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Monday that could dramatically reshape the way prescription drugs are paid for and acquired in the most populous U.S. state.

The order, along with another naming the state’s first-ever surgeon general, marks a fast start for a governor who has vowed to combat inequity and position California as a counterweight to the conservative Trump administration in Washington.

Newsom took office on Monday in a campaign-style inauguration ceremony packed with supporters and media, and featuring nods to California’s multicultural heritage with music from an African-American church choir from the Los Angeles-area city of Compton and a Mexican folk style group dressed in colors of the California flag.

In his executive order, Newsom directed state officials to set up what he said would ultimately be the nation’s largest single-purchaser system for prescription drugs.

It directed California’s massive Medicaid system to negotiate prescription drug prices for all of its 13 million recipients, changing their benefits from a managed-care or HMO approach to one that allows the state to handle all the purchases.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-governor-newsom-health/new-california-governor-tackles-drug-prices-in-first-act-idUSKCN1P200D

[sprinkleeninow]

1. Ga-VIN! Ga-VIN!

Eastcoaster applauds your getting the Calif. Governorship!

Well done!
💙

[democratisphere]

2. Glad to see California's new leader is attacking the price gouging

pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution criminals! There needs to be a totally different war on drug manufacturers!

[BigmanPigman]

3. Yippee!

When I was sent a gmail survey a few weeks ago drug prices and health care weren't even on the list of what I think Newsom should prioritize. I couldn't believe it and wrote it in the "other" box and then commented that we voted for him to take care of health care and drug costs. I guess I wasn't the only one since he recently said that healthcare would be one of his top two priorities.

Hold them accountable...always!

[Midnightwalk]

4. Great news

Cost is one of the two big issues with health care, access being the other. We need to eliminate over a trillion dollars a year to get our costs closer to other wealthy countries.

With so much money involved, I wonder how long it will take for the feds to sue to block this.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. I have a medication that is still

$250.00 a month after insurance. I'm quaking in my boots about the cost getting any higher. Without insurance it's almost $900.00. I literally could not function without it. War isn't the only racket. We need affordable health care for all and that includes medicine.

[alwaysinasnit]

6. It would be even better if other blue states could join California and get more leverage in

negotiating prices.