Washington State House Democrats

Two bills would bring cheaper medicines across Canadian border

Reforms by Reps. Simpson and Schual-Berke pass committee, head to full House of Representatives

Feb. 2, 2005

OLYMPIA – Modern medicine means modern prescription drugs – and two major reforms to give citizens cheaper prescription medicine are making their way from idea to law.

"This is about getting more bang for the taxpayer’s buck," said Rep. Geoff Simpson (D-Covington), author of legislation to save money by buying the same medicines for less from Canada.

"If we can shop around and save millions of tax dollars by buying the exact same prescription drugs from Canada, we should do it."

Simpson and Rep. Shay Schual-Berke (D-Normandy Park) have introduced two reforms that work together to save taxpayers and citizens money:

• Simpson’s reform (House Bill 1194) is focused on giving taxpayers the most for their money. Washington state spends $1 billion a year on prescription medicines that can cost up to 80 percent less in Canada.
   
• Schual-Berke is the only doctor serving in the House of Representatives, and her reform (House Bill 1316) gives private pharmacies the ability to buy medicines, wholesale, from Canada.

"Let’s make sure our citizens can get safe and legal medicines," said Schual-Berke. "We’re sending a message to the federal government that people should not have to cross the border to get the medicines they need."

Both bills passed the Health Care Committee on Tuesday and are expected to come before the full House of Representatives next week.

"Every day in our practices, family doctors see several patients who cannot afford the necessary medications," said Dr. Jeffrey Huebner of Walla Walla, testifying in front of the committee on behalf of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. Huebner told lawmakers the story of a patient he called Mr. G who had to choose between medicines to reduce the risk of heart attacks and medicines to reduce severe pain, because he couldn’t afford both.

Eleanor Owen told the committee a single drug – used by 15,000 Medicaid patients in the state – costs $4,000 a year for each patient. That same medication from Canada, she said, costs $600 a year. So instead of taxpayers being stuck with a $60 million bill, they’d pay just $9 million.

Schual-Berke said the reforms are meant to attack the problem of skyrocketing prescription drugs from both directions, giving both the state and the private sector more affordable prescription medicines.

"The big drug companies and White House have it backwards," said Simpson. "They tell us sure, go ahead and chow down on mad cows from Canada, but no, don’t risk your life by buying medicine your doctor prescribed. There’s never been a safety problem. The real safety issue is kids and seniors not getting the medicines they need because they can't afford them."