U.S. PIRG Consumer Blog: Oregon Proposal Goes Wal-Mart One Better On Rx

Wal-Mart's recent limited action lowering the price of some prescription drugs in some stores in some markets to as little as $4 was a good first step for uninsured consumers. Wal-Mart's expansion of the program and its emulation by Target was also a positive but, again, limited step. These big stores use their bulk buying power to get good prices, which they can choose to pass along. Of course, it's also a good deal for Wal-Mart and Target-- it generates traffic into their stores.

But what if the drug you need isn't one of the 20% or so of the drugs Wal-Mart offers that's available at this low price?

Wouldn't it be better if any uninsured consumer could take advantage of a prescription drug buying plan that delivers huge discounts on a full range of generics and name-brand drugs, saving as much as 60 percent, and could purchase the drugs at any store or pharmacy? It could happen in Oregon, on Election Day. MORE.

It's the goal of Oregon's ballot Measure 44, which would expand to all of Oregon's 1 million uninsured the benefits of a successful state prescription drug buying pool program now available only to state agencies and low-income uninsured seniors. Here's a column by Laura Etherton of Oregon PIRG (OSPIRG) in in today's Oregonian newspaper. Excerpt:

The Oregon Prescription Drug Program started small, available only to some state agencies and low-income uninsured seniors. Now it makes both economic and health care sense to expand the program to everyone who lacks drug coverage. Thanks to the work of state Sen. Bill Morrisette and AARP, voters will have the opportunity to make that expansion a reality this November by approving Measure 44.

The measure will expand this proven program to the 1 million Oregonians lacking drug coverage. That will boost the program's buying power and deliver needed price relief. Because the program already pays for itself through the savings it negotiates, Measure 44 won't cost taxpayers a thing.

A broad coalition -- including Oregonians for Health Security, the Oregon Business Association, Service Employees International Union, the Oregon Medical Association, the Oregon Nurses Association, OSPIRG and others -- urges Oregonians to vote yes on Measure 44.