AG ruling means higher medicine costs for state employees, businesses that bought from Canada
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Attorney General William Schneider’s determination that CanaRX, a Canadian firm that distributes prescription medications by mail, cannot be licensed in Maine imperils more than $3 million in annual savings budgeted for the state employees’ health plan.
The decision affects approximately 1,200 Maine households, according to CanaRX senior program adviser Chris Collins. It also poses financial repercussions for the city of Portland and Guilford-based Hardwood Products Co., both of which have contracted with CanaRx for years.
......"Why doesnt CanaRx just get the license?"......
There are "forces" in Maine that don't want CanaRx licensed here. Can't have competetion don't you know.
For what it is worth, prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies are often half of what the same meds cost in Maine.
WC
For what it is worth, prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies are often half of what the same meds cost in Maine.
Even more.
My wife was put on a drug that, at the local drugstore cost $90 a month.
Walmart was $75/mo.,
We went to Woodstock, NB and bought a three months prescription for $32.
My wife has a rare illness that affects her immune system. There is one basic medication that helps her keep going and leading a reasonably normal existence. It is only made in this country by one pharmaceutical firm. At Rite Aid a supply that is good for just 12 days, costs us $418. We have no health insurance! i contacted the manufacturer last year and asked them if they had any sort of program to help those who might not be all that well off. "Sorry" they said, "we don't do anything like that".
A 12 day supply of the same medicine is available, outside of the United States......for $129!
Now just what is going on here, and who is the true "thief"?
This medicine is made by grinding the seeds of the very common plant "Bishops Weed" which is an invasive plant like bamboo, it will take over your whole dooryard if allowed. A lot of it is produced in China and I have seen pictures of cardboard drums, full of this ground powder, only needing to be mixed with water to make it into Gastrocrom, sitting on pallets, ready for sale to wholesalers, anywhere in the world. Absolutely nothing very valuable or unique or rare about it at all!
Once again, our government, through the FDA and other agencies, is being used to create monopolies so that big pharma can charge whatever it feels like charging to a captive customer base!
There is something profoundly wrong with this whole picture!
WC
It's the AG's job to interpret Maine law as written, not make it. Sounds like this is something that needs to be fixed legislatively. General Schneider is just doing his job.
Well then....this is a perfect issue to get before the State legislators and "make" them change the law. I am so damn tired of our government protecting me against my will from everything I may need thus causing expense, pain, harm and...even death so we can be safe!
WC, since its not illegal to import the seeds, have you considered doing so? Or "growing your own" since that isn't illegal (yet)? Not being flippant, just asking.
We had a meeting with the AG weeks ago there's nothing we can do for now. A bill is being written, and will be submitted when it's done.
Obviously the only solution would be to invade Canada. Until we can raise an army, which will take time,
let them sell drugs and when leg. passes law call off the invasion and all will be happy.
The majority of the drugs used in the US now comes from Mexico.
They deliver for free.
I would remind posters on this thread that the U.S. Consitution gave Congress the power to regulate commerce between the states, which was shorthand for not allowing the states to steal from each other which they were doing by charging tariffs on products passing through the states. They do this when they impose sales taxes on products from other states and prevent other states from selling their products in the state on the same basis as instate companies. The states have been getting away with this for years and the Federal government has chosen not to do anything about it because politicians make the rules that help those who elect them and choose not to enforce those that don't. At one time during the Convention it was proposd that the federal government have a veto over state laws and the states wanted no part of this. The Commerce clause was thecompromise and like all compromises, cause more problems than they solve.
Pm,
I've been learning about the commerce clause over the healthcare debacle.
I think your right on the money, in which you speak.
However, I don't think it applies here.
We're taking from our friends to the north, Canada.
Seems to me, I read that the only reason the keystone pipeline can't go through, was because the president has power over a mile or so of our national border.
How's Congress come into it?
And I'm fairly sure Congress wanted the pipeline to come through, but "O" stopped it.
So yes, the state of Maine can deny the sale of these items.
But, if we're talking powers of Congress-
Well, I'd have to say Congress is at the weakest it's ever been.
"O" certainly doesn't listen/ obey the laws made.
He'll do what he wants, he's proved that a few times.
I believe the sates should have more power.
And we as voters can get rid of dumb ideas.
For instance, the fact we can't purchase health insurance over state lines.
I'm still waiting for a little competition to get the price down till I can afford it.
All issues can be reduced to philosophy.
There are medications that change patients' lives, others that save patients' lives.
To me this screams VALUE.
And no I don't mean the dollar store definition of value (how much crap can you get for a ten spot).
By value I mean the preciousness of something.
A beautiful sunset has value, but we can't put a price on it, unless we're pricing the piece of land from which we get an unobstructed view of the sun dropping into the Gulf of Mexico.
Man did not invent the sunset.
Man did not create the land.
But man did discover the concept of property rights, and man did produce the home's front porch from which we watch the sun go down.
Life-saving, life-changing medicines have value, and they are commodities that can be priced.
It's not a conflict between the value of an individual's life and the value of the medicine.
The value of medicine is its effect on the individual's life.
Man's inventiveness is essential to the production of medicines.
We interfere with this at our peril.
Take that philosophical groundwork where you will.
I take it to free markets in medicine.
Is the Canadian enterprise a creature of the free market, or is it a creature of government intervention?
Burdock Farm: I agree is doesn't apply in the case of Canada because they have a different economic system than we do. If they did Canda wold be just like another state and a border would be meaningless. Since it isn't there is a new set of rules. Think of the globe as a small island. Living things require food to grow and reproduce and water and oxygen as a means to convert it in order to use it. Life then depends on the existence of each of these and once used life will disappear. These resources are finite and in time when one is used up like as we know it will come to an end. We have lost sight of this fact because we have a way to extend nature and more and more of our time is used to satisfy our wants as opposed to our needs. The problem is in the process we are creating more and more consumers. World population is increasing at an exponential rate and in some places exceeds the ability of the food supply to adequately sustain life. Societies are vanishing but not quite as fast as they are being created. The end result will be the death of all life. If you don't believe it, just look around the universe and see if anyone has yet found life anywhere else. We can extend the time it is taking to get there by eliminating theft but, we cannot avoid the inevitable.
Mainmon: All issue can be reduced to mathematics. Saying all issues can be reduced to philosophy is only true if if everyone has the same belief system which is impossible because we are all different. Philosophy reduces those difference but it cannot reduce them to zero. Matehematics is the only place where everything and nothing can exists simultaneously.
Mathematics is a tool for describing and understanding reality.
If one's philosophy rejects reality, then mathematics is a tool for fooling people.
All issues can be reduced to philosphy.
That doesn't mean all questioners hold the same philosophy or the same premises.
It does mean that when someone declares that medicine ought to be free because it is so valuable, the critical listener ought to ask, what is the premise for that?
One has to remember that the driving force behind all utilizations of these programs and vendors , was not the medical good the drug can do but
the cost of the program. The driving force behind this issue was not and is not concern for the users health but the loss of profit by someone holding document that gov. said allowed them to
sell drugs.
I bet another vendor will appear at the same rates very soon ,greed does that!
Mainemom: Mathematics is able to fool people because they commit what I call Cardinal or Critical Error. That is to stop thinking when they achieve an answer that satisfies them. You can only eliminate controvery when the last persons gets the right answer to why? and everyone else agrees. After all there are still people who believe two and two can be more than 4. They have no proof, but they still believe. If this is too mathematical, think about a person giving more than 100% .
But that's because you hold to a philosophy that accepts that objective reality exists. So do I. Unfortunately, many do not, and our president is one of those.
If a Canadian pharmacy will fill a US Rx what is the difference in getting it thru mail?
If Ugenetoo can go their it is the same as a mailed in Rx!
What isn't here is what did Bruno hear from Pharmacies that didn't get bid/business ?
From the BDN link above:
........"But Joe Bruno, president of the Maine Board of Pharmacy and CEO of the Augusta-based Community Pharmacies chain, warned that a legislative fix is no simple matter".........
.......“What you’re saying is, you’d rather buy cheaper drugs than hold people to a standard of typical pharmacy practice,” he said. “This is kind of a knee-jerk reaction because nobody’s thinking about public safety here. All they’re thinking about is cheaper drugs".......
Lets look at a bit of recent history:
......"Former Rep. Joseph Bruno, R-Raymond, was House minority leader when $35.6 million went to Goold Health Systems, where he was CEO and president, and $49 million to Community Pharmacies, where he was a board member of the controlling group".......
Who is this man to talk? And of course he denied any "conflict of interest" or "ethical considerations".
This is a perfect example of what is wrong with politics today in America and Maine.
This man is NOT interested in "drug safety" or anything other than putting as much money in his OWN pockets as he can! Why should we believe that the pharmacy industry in the rest of the civilized world is somehow not as well qualified as that of America is? Do Canadians and Europeans take "second-rate" drugs Mr Bruno?
Why should we have to pay over $400 for 12 days of meds for my wife, when equal or better meds for the same purpose, are available in Canada for $129? Why should anyone HAVE to do business with the likes of you.....with your vastly inflated prices, just so you can accumulate a big pile of money?
Why should what Joe Bruno have to say, on this topic (after all he has done).......matter to anyone? His credibility, in my house, is lower than a snakes back in a wagon wheel rut, and that's a fact!
If i sound a titchel "angry" it is because I am! We don't have the money to buy the drugs that Joe Bruno would like us to buy.....at his prices! So we have to choose between meds and food? Give me a break!
WC
The difference between going to Canada and getting an Rx filled and through the mail is that the government controls the mail hasn't yet stopped you from going. They stop the mail to protect the U.S. supplier in essence giving him a monopoly over all those who are unwilling to spend the extra money to go to Canada. Its no different than Mainers going to New Hampshire to buy taxed items. None of this cross border trade would be necessary if world labor costs were the same, but our illustrious government allowed a portion of American labor (unions) to extract increasing compensation for the same effort which has resulted in American labor costs to increase faster than the rest of the non-unionized world.
First Bruno was one of those who critcized benefits for emloyees costing too much!
This was an effort to reduce a cost !
Yes, he was a minority leader or better said follower.
Woodcanoe I choose to correct you , your snake reference , is above where it should be , I was inclined to think whale poop!
Was he not one of the go along get along crowd in the minority ?
Bruno has a point...why should Canadian drug sellers be allowed to sell in Maine when other cannot? Everyone is licensed or no one is licensed.
Can't the Maine households who lost their Canadian drugs get some friends or relatives in a State which allows the practice to take delivery and then send them to the Maine residence.
Bruno has a point...why should Canadian drug sellers be allowed to sell in Maine when other cannot? Everyone is licensed or no one is licensed.
The real question is why aren't Canadian pharmacies allowed to be licensed in Maine? Why are we restricting trade?
The reason Canadian pharmacies aren't licensed in the state of Maine is that they don't want to. The tax laws are to onorous as are the regulations under which they would have to operate.
Go to the black market. Go underground. Same as buying mood changing drugs. Take the risk, save some money. Everything is available at a cost savings.
Right on Spider: If the government got out of the way the black market would be the real market. Then those who could afford it would have access to whatever it is they could afford and could share their surplus with those who can't without the government taking it away.
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Why doesnt CanaRx just get the license? Drives the cost up?
Let the customers choose to take meds from unlicensed sources....just make sure they are unable to hold the supplier liable for any damages from 'bad' doses.