Oregon Prescription Drug Discount Program for All State Residents Begins

Enrollment began Friday for Oregon's new prescription drug program, which provides discounts to all state residents who lack prescription drug coverage, the Oregonian reports (Oregonian, 12/7). Oregon voters on Nov. 8 passed Measure 44 by a 77% to 23% margin to approve the program. The Oregon Prescription Drug Program, which provides discounts of 30% to 60% on medications, previously covered residents older than age 55 with annual incomes less than $18,130 who have not had prescription drug coverage for at least six months. The expanded program will cover about 600,000 state residents, regardless of age or income (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/8). The new program will expand eligibility to residents who previously were ineligible for the discounts, such as young adults starting new jobs and waiting for employer-sponsored health benefits to begin and seniors who reach the so-called "doughnut hole" coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit. To provide the discounts, the state will purchase prescription drugs in bulk and negotiate lower prices with pharmaceutical companies (Oregonian, 12/7).