Ohio Drug Price Standards Initiative (2017)

There is a LOT of big money behind the NO vote on this ballot initiative. I suspect it is Big Pharma trying to defeat this initiative, however, there is very little unbiased information. I know there was a 2016 California initiative that was very similar.

Does anyone have any insight into the pros and cons of this initiative without the spin? All I see are paid 'authority' figures on TV to tell us vote 'no', but without any substance.

The basics is it would tie state medicare and medicaid prices for drug purchases to the VA prices. That doesn't sound bad to me so what am I missing?

BALLOT INITIATIVE

a reply to: Metallicus

You want to know why your drug prices are so high? Because we subsidize those deep discounts mentioned. The cost of the drug doesn't go away because the government forces the company to sell for less. It just gets shifted to the rest of us. We already subsidize all the other socialized medicine schemes around the world as it is which has already distorted prices terribly badly.

No one even knows what a straight market cost for any of these drugs actually is thanks to the global nature of the market and number of governments shifting costs onto those of us who shoulder that burden.

a reply to: ketsuko

I know that we pay stupid high prices in America for drugs and people in other countries get the same drugs for far less partially because we in the U.S. pay such inflated prices.

I still don't understand if this is a good or bad plan for our state. I want to make an informed decision, but like I said...the issue is clouded by the different agendas.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Metallicus

You want to know why your drug prices are so high? Because we subsidize those deep discounts mentioned. The cost of the drug doesn't go away because the government forces the company to sell for less. It just gets shifted to the rest of us. We already subsidize all the other socialized medicine schemes around the world as it is which has already distorted prices terribly badly.

No one even knows what a straight market cost for any of these drugs actually is thanks to the global nature of the market and number of governments shifting costs onto those of us who shoulder that burden.

Don't be telling people the truth about what is going on, Let them live as mushrooms.

originally posted by: rickymouse

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Metallicus

You want to know why your drug prices are so high? Because we subsidize those deep discounts mentioned. The cost of the drug doesn't go away because the government forces the company to sell for less. It just gets shifted to the rest of us. We already subsidize all the other socialized medicine schemes around the world as it is which has already distorted prices terribly badly.

No one even knows what a straight market cost for any of these drugs actually is thanks to the global nature of the market and number of governments shifting costs onto those of us who shoulder that burden.

Don't be telling people the truth about what is going on, Let them live as mushrooms.

So do you have any insights into this Initiative?

I am looking for thoughtful responses.

a reply to: Metallicus

If I understand this right, they want to cap prices in your state.

Basically, if you want to see what price caps do, go and study price caps and economics. Generally, they aren't a good thing and distort the economy in unexpected ways.

For one example, look at vaccines. The federal government is the principal buyer, often buying roughly 50% of every year's production, and because it's such a huge customer, it has enormous leverage to undercut the price of production and does. Vaccines by their nature already have a slim profit margin as it is, so that puts a high barrier for entry into the market on them because they will never be your primary money maker and you can't make them any cheaper than they already get produced. Add in the continuously rising cost of regulation, and it's a bad outlook.

Now consider price capping.

How quickly will you start to see some manufacturers withdrawing from the market because they are producing at a loss? Why would you?

a reply to: Metallicus

All i can tell so far is that its not free market.. but we already went ober its not free market anyway..

So do the drug companies still sell the drugs at a lower price if required to, to still get the sells?

They would unless the want to look like drug lords...

So i would personally vote for this if there is no subsidy to match the old cost added in.

I feel the VA and medicaid/medicare are similar services, and should have similar price points/demands..

So thats my hardly educated opinion.

a reply to: Metallicus

This bill just shifts the Pharma companies to charging more from people not on those programs. They make up lost money. This kind of program already exists on Federal purchases, but evidently not on all state paid costs. I guess I assumed it applied to all medicaid drugs already, but I suppose once the states took over medicaid, they needed to clarify it.

a reply to: rickymouse

Drug Prices: Middlemen pharmacy benefit managers causing higher prices
patientsrising.org...

If I were the drug companies I would blame other countries too.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: rickymouse

Drug Prices: Middlemen pharmacy benefit managers causing higher prices
patientsrising.org...

If I were the drug companies I would blame other countries too.

I watched a show about those guys. I would bet that there are kickbacks to the CEOs of the Pharma companies.

a reply to: rickymouse

One hand does indeed wash the other.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: rickymouse

One hand does indeed wash the other.

And I bet they do not use triclosan.