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Article: West Virginia's Rx for drug costs: West Virginia's new prescription drug program is being called "the mouse that roared.".
- Article from:
- State Legislatures
- Article date:
- February 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 National Conference of State Legislatures. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A pathbreaking resolution passed unanimously by both houses of the West Virginia Legislature could lower the cost of prescription drugs for all West Virginians, and be replicated by other states.
Passed during a special two-day session in late November, the resolution creates a new cabinet-level office, the Pharmaceutical Advocate, to negotiate prescription drug prices for public programs, including state employees, Medicaid, Workers Compensation and the Children's Health Insurance Program. As a benchmark, the advocate would use the federal supply schedule, which the federal government rises to negotiate lower prices for its veterans homes, prisons, and other ...