Maine Considers Several Drug Bills, While Nevada Leaders Reach Compromise on Senior Rx

The Maine Legislature on May 21 gave preliminary approval to a bill that would require pharmaceutical companies to disclose their expenditures on promotions and advertisements in annual reports to the state, the AP/Bangor Daily News reports. The information would be made public and used to encourage drug companies to "control costs" that reportedly increase the price of prescription drugs. State Rep. Nancy Sullivan, who is supporting the bill, said, "We're asking ... for companies (to) put out ... information, disclose it and let public perception decide if [the firms] are spending ... money wisely." The bill still faces several votes in the state House and Senate. Also on May 21, the state House approved a bill that would require consumers paying out of pocket for name-brand prescriptions that are not covered by the Maine Rx program to be notified that they are paying higher prices. Under the program, the state negotiates lower prices for drugs for uninsured individuals. In addition, the Maine Legislature is considering other proposals to provide drug benefits for the 225,000 people in the state who lack drug coverage. Gov. Angus King (I) advocates a bill that would offer a 25% drug discount for individuals earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, or an annual income of nearly $53,000 for a family of four, while a separate measure would expand eligibility for a low-cost drug program for seniors (Adams, AP/Bangor Daily News, 5/22).

Nevada Compromise Reached
Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn (R) and state Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley (D) on May 21 reached an agreement on a prescription drug program for seniors that "virtually guarantee[s]" its approval before the state Legislature adjourns on June 4, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The $6.5 million-per-year program, called Senior Rx, would allow seniors earning less that $21,500 a year to be eligible for up to $5,000 in prescriptions annually with copays of $10 for generic drugs and $25 for brand-name prescriptions. The state would use tobacco settlement funds to pay an annual premium of $1,280 each year per senior to insurance companies, who would provide the drug coverage. Under the compromise, if Senior Rx does not enroll 3,500 seniors by Jan. 1, 2003, the state would switch to a new program, previously proposed by Buckley (AB 545) and called Senior Options, that would offer prescription drug coverage through the state (Vogel, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5/22).