Stop Health Care Industry Profiteering

OVERVIEW

Jul 15 2008

Putting the health care industry on the defensive by moving reforms that increase transparency, oversight, and accountability highlights health care costs and the industry's self-interested opposition to change. The US health care system underwrites some of the most profitable industries in the world; either through complicit arrangements between the industry and government, as in the new Medicare drug benefit and Florida's recently enacted limited-benefit health plan, or through government inaction, as in poor public oversight of health insurance rates. Too large a sum of our taxes and health care spending ends up in industry profits and inefficient administration, rather than actual medical care.

In response, states can (1) reduce prescription drug costs through bulk-purchasing and countering the industry's abusive marketing influence; (2) bring accountability and oversight to health insurance rates; and (3) ensure non-profit hospitals, which provide 68% of all hospitals beds in the US, provide a real "community benefit" for their tax-exempt status.

A widely held belief is that the health care industry, specifically pharmaceutical companies, puts profits ahead of people. This anger can be channeled to bring transparency and accountability to the health care industry.

From the Dispatch

Anticipating Federal Reform, States Move on Reining in Insurance Abuses and Implementation

Mar 18 2010

Highlighting the outrage at insurance industry abuses pushing Congress towards a final decision on federal health care reform, state legislators continue to advance their own insurance reforms, even as they lay the groundwork for implementing the policies that will emerge in a federal bill.

How States Fare Under Obama’s Health Reform Blueprint

Feb 25 2010

This week, President Obama released his blueprint for comprehensive health care legislation. The plan 's release means Obama can outline the specifics of what he wants to see in a final bill for the first time. Many political observers see the decision to outline specifics as not only a jump start to move health care reform across the finish line but also as a stamp of approval for the Senate to use a majority vote through the reconciliation process, a strategy which appears to be gaining momentum.

Targeting Insurance Abuses as a Path to Federal Health Reform

Feb 16 2010

This Dispatch will: highlight a few of the state insurance reform campaigns underway and the health insurance problems they highlight; detail how to message these campaigns to support federal reform; provide a roundup of policy options and model bills for other states interested in moving similar insurance reforms; and end with a set of resources on the campaign, including national policy organizations, key reports, and bills moving across the country.

While DC Delays, States Move Forward on Health Care Reforms

Jan 28 2010

As Congress delays moving forward on the passage of comprehensive health care reform, progressive state leaders from across the country have been demanding passage of reform as critical for families across the nation. But that doesn't mean they are waiting; state leaders are moving forward, laying the groundwork for how national changes should be implemented, and creating the momentum for other meaningful health care reforms in their states.

Rx Reforms to Address Budget Deficits and Ensure Quality of Medications

Nov 23 2009

As part of our Shared Multi-State Agenda, the Progressive States Network is working with legislators, advocates and leading experts to promote Rx reforms in 2010 that will reduce health care costs for consumers, businesses, and state and local governments, and will help ensure access to safe and effective medications. Through coordinated, strategic support, PSN and our allies will be working to introduce and advance Rx reforms that will help address state budget deficits and improve access to quality medications in as many states possible; providing model legislation, policy analysis, messaging and more - all of which has been gathered and will be constantly updated on our Prescription Drug Reform Shared Agenda web page.

The Supreme Court and the States: Trend Defending State Authority Emerges this Term

Jul 14 2009

Whether out of circumstance or an emerging trend, where state authority was at issue, this term the U.S. Supreme Court overwhelmingly deferred to state decision makers-- a significant reveral from last year.

Rx Model Bill to Limit Drug Industry Marketing Enacted in Vermont

Jun 25 2009

Vermont lawmakers enacted the nation's strongest measure limiting the drug industry's marketing influence over physicians. The bill, S 48, bans gifts from the industry to physicians, including meals and travel, and requires unprecedented disclosure and transparency of relations between the industry and providers. Said Sharon Treat, Director of the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices (NLARx) and Maine State Representative, "Vermont now joins Minnesota and Massachusetts in tackling head-on the pervasive influence of payments and gifts on medical practitioners through a ban on many gifts.

Privatization Update: Schools, Prisons, Mental Health -- and What States are Doing to Hold Contractors Accountable

Mar 30 2009

Given the central role of private contractors in delivering public services, this Dispatch continues our series of Privatization Updates (see November's edition). Today we focus on current privatization debates in the education, prison and mental health sectors -- and what states are doing to increase accountability for contractors.

States' Victory Against Preemption - FDA Approval Does not Block State Tort Claims Against Drug Makers

Mar 05 2009

In a much anticipated decision, Wyeth v. Levine, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision upheld states' right to hold the drug industry accountable for not adequately warning consumers and prescribers of a drug's impact. The pharmaceutical industry had argued that Federal Drug Administration approval of a drug's warning label pre-empts state claims of injury based on the failure by a company to warn of additional dangers not covered by the FDA-approved label. The court rejected this argument.

Rx Policies - Cut Health Care Costs and Promote Broader Health Care Reform

Jan 26 2009

One of the biggest challenges our country's leaders face as they seek to address the nation's health care crisis - a challenge faced by federal leaders and state lawmakers alike - is the ever-rising cost of health care. A key driver of health care costs is the price of prescription drugs, which accounted for 14% of all health care spending in 2007.

A perfect storm has arisen - of high costs, budget deficits, and a public that is frustrated with the current system and eager for a new one - making 2009 prime for bold health care reform. An essential piece of reform involves increased scrutiny of prescription drug costs and the drug industry, which manipulates the health care system to increase its profits. On the policy front, pursuing Rx reforms will help states reduce budget gaps and achieve important health policy goals, such as reducing drug prices and achieving greater access to life-saving medications.

Core Analysis

Health Care for All: Policy Options for 2009

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Stop Health Care Industry Profiteering

OVERVIEW

From the Dispatch

Anticipating Federal Reform, States Move on Reining in Insurance Abuses and Implementation

How States Fare Under Obama’s Health Reform Blueprint

Targeting Insurance Abuses as a Path to Federal Health Reform

While DC Delays, States Move Forward on Health Care Reforms

Rx Reforms to Address Budget Deficits and Ensure Quality of Medications

The Supreme Court and the States: Trend Defending State Authority Emerges this Term

Rx Model Bill to Limit Drug Industry Marketing Enacted in Vermont

Privatization Update: Schools, Prisons, Mental Health -- and What States are Doing to Hold Contractors Accountable

States' Victory Against Preemption - FDA Approval Does not Block State Tort Claims Against Drug Makers

Rx Policies - Cut Health Care Costs and Promote Broader Health Care Reform

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