Neighbors,
If you glanced at the Star Tribune this weekend you probably saw an article with the headline: “Minnesota patients paying the price of drug roulette,” which describes the many ways Big Pharma and insurance middlemen pull the rug out from patients who rely on life-saving, hard-to-find medications.
I want you to know that, at the state level, we’re doing everything we can to combat the predatory practices of pharmaceutical companies and to bring down the cost of medications and healthcare in our state.
Here’s what happens: doctors receive a list of insured drugs from health insurers, who negotiate with “pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs),” who then negotiate with drug companies. Sound confusing? It is. And in all these transactions the insurers, the PBMs, and the drug manufacturers are motivated by the market to maximize their profits.
This causes insurance companies to switch drugs whenever they can get a higher rebate – sometimes several times a year – which means doctors have to change patients’ prescriptions to medications that are more expensive, and often less effective, for things like insulin, blood testing strips, and antidepressants. The costs add up. Prescription drug spending has gone up 7 percent each year between 2012 and 2016.
As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand the impacts of drugs becoming unavailable and unaffordable for families. That’s why I’ve introduced a package of bills with bipartisan support aimed at protecting patients from profit-driven health care companies. They would:
- Regulate, license, and require transparency from the Pharmacy benefit managers (middlemen) and bring down the price of pharmaceutical drugs (H.F. 728)
- Require cost reporting for diabetes prescription drugs (H.F. 289)
- Limit prescription drug co-payments (H.F. 743)
- Prohibit health plans from changing drug coverage for people on highly specific drug regimens within the contract year (H.F. 1257)
The United States outspends almost all other developed countries, and yet we have worse health outcomes. These are just a few of the patient-centered, not profit centered, health care solutions we’re working on. I’ve also introduced bills to create a rare disease advisory council and to make quit-smoking help available statewide. You can see a list of all the bills I’ve authored and co-sponsored here.
Safety
Minnesotans have been loud and clear that they want their representatives to address gun violence. Last week the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee went late into the night hearing two bills to address the epidemic of gun violence in our communities. Under current law, background checks aren’t performed when guns change hands between non-licensed dealers. HF 8 would require criminal background checks to be performed on all gun sales. These background checks are an effective way to make sure that people with a history of domestic violence or other violent crimes aren’t able to access guns. Evidence shows expanded background checks will save lives, and states which have taken this approach have experienced lower homicide rates, lower firearm suicide rates, and less firearm trafficking.
HF 9 would create “red flag laws,” allowing Minnesotans to petition a court if they see someone is in danger of harming themselves or others. On average, someone in Minnesota commits suicide with a gun every single day, often after showing signs of mental distress or violence. These laws would help save lives and prevent these tragedies.
The Minnesota House also passed a bill last week to keep insurers from taking advantage of families by excluding coverage for family members. If passed by the Senate, the bill will protect family members in the event of a life-threatening or expensive maritime accident. Read more here.
Floor Vote
Last week the House passed a bill to fix the Minnesota Licensing and Registration System (MNLARS), which has had a high-profile IT problems. Issues with systems of this magnitude are pervasive in the private and public sectors, and cause frustration for Minnesotans when they update vehicle registration, need license plates, tabs, or to change titles. Minnesotans deserve a licensing system that works, that’s efficient, and that gets fixed when it isn’t working.
Thanks for reading, and stay in touch! You can reach me any time at rep.alice.mann@house.mn or 651-296-5387. You can also stop by our office in room 507 of the State Office Building.
Sincerely,
Alice Mann
State Representative – District 56B |
|
|
|