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Re-importation of prescription drugs from Canada has become one of the leading issues for Americans today, so we bring you up to date news articles on this and other issues at Americaputmeoutofbusiness.com.
With President George Bush winning the re-election 2004 we want to continue to bring you information to American citizens on prescription medication re-importation and other issues that concern your elected political leaders. We provide a variety of daily media coverage, with highlighed statements that have been made, and positions that have been taken on this issue.
We feel Americans should have access to the most current information on this issue and we invite you to view the links below.
PLEASE NOTE: All articles referenced on this site are inclusive of all viewpoints as we feel it is the responsibility of the American citizen to assess both sides and make an informative decision.
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Looking for past news articles?Check out the archives for all the articles that have been posted.
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Drug plan's savings elusive Democrats say new Medicare program can
Medicare's prescription drug benefit is spurring a debate over whether the
2-month-old program is offering genuine discounts for medication. Bay Area
Democrats in Congress released a survey earlier this week concluding that
prices for 10 top-selling drugs purchased through Medicare were higher than
those paid by Canadian consumers or Costco customers. But a government analysis
released last week found that beneficiaries saved an average 57 percent
compared with what they would pay for drugs without coverage. The best evidence
seems to show that beneficiaries can realize at least some savings from the
program, provided they choose an appropriate Medicare drug plan and opt for the
lowest-cost versions of medications in most cases generics. Drug costs are
important to beneficiaries because Medicare pays only part of the price of
medication. The program also has significant coverage gaps that require
beneficiaries to pay the full price of prescriptions.
March 08, 2006
Full Story
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Bill to allow pharmacies to reimport drugs passes Senate
The Oklahoma Senate backs a drug reimportation plan that would permit state
pharmacies to obtain U-S-made prescription drugs from Canada and elsewhere for
sale here.The Federal Drug Administration has opposed drug reimportation bills,
claiming they violate the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U-S Constitution.
Those measures mainly deal with allowing individuals to obtain reimported
drugs. Tulsa state Senator Tom Adelson says his legislation avoids that legal
question because it would require pharmacies to sell reimported medicines only
to Oklahomans in intrastate, not interstate, commerce. Most programs are geared
to allowing individuals obtain such drugs by crossing the border into Canada or
buying drugs online.
March 08, 2006
Full Story
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Medicare Q&A
I am a 78-year-old on Medicare and have been getting my drugs from Canada. I
recently did some math and am convinced that it is cheaper to get my drugs from
Canada, rather than from a new Medicare drug plan. What should I do? With the
rising cost of prescription drugs, seniors have looked across the border to
find more affordable medications in Canada. With the Medicare prescription drug
benefit now available, many are revisiting this decision. The Medicare
prescription drug benefit is new, so it is hard to say whether you will save
money over time if you sign up rather than continue to purchase your drugs from
Canada. Still, there are good reasons to think about signing up for a Medicare
drug plan instead. The Medicare drug benefit, that is being offered by numerous
private companies throughout the country, is subsidized, which means the
program covers a share of your drug expenses. You may find savings on some of
your more expensive drugs if you sign up for a plan that covers these
medications. In addition, the drug benefit offers catastrophic coverage, which
can be quite helpful for people with more than $3,600 in out-of-pocket spending
for prescriptions this year. It is important to note that if you do not sign up
for the Medicare drug benefit before the May 15 enrollment deadline, you will
face a late enrollment penalty if you decide to sign up in the future.
March 07, 2006
Full Story
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Seniors Fight Threatening Blow to Money-Saver Generic Rx Industry
The Seniors Coalition today released a letter to officials of the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions Committee, and members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in
response to a blatant effort by the FDA impose a back-door tax on consumers by
requiring generic drug manufacturers to finance their own approval process a
requirement brought about by the FDAs own mismanagement. Over the last 26
years, the Hatch-Waxman Act (passed by Congress in 1983) has afforded American
patients with access to affordable generic medicines which prove to be safe and
effective alternatives to brand name medications. This has been a welcome
alternative for patients particularly senior citizens living on a severely
restricted income while having to negotiate the ever-growing cost of
prescription medications. These patients have, for more than two decades,
depended upon the FDAs timely approval of generic drugs in order to access the
significant savings at the pharmacy a process, however, that has stalled in
recent years. The FDA has ignored the statutory requirement to review generic
drug applications in a timely way, and has adopted a transparent strategy to
force user fees on generic manufacturers even though such fees will have to be
passed on directly to consumers.
March 03, 2006
Full Story
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The Economic Implications of Buying Drugs Online - Canadian and US
Internet Pharmacies for Generic and Name Brands
The prevalence of online pharmacies is a hot topic, especially when it comes to
foreign-based companies selling prescription and non-prescription drugs to
Americans for lower, more affordable prices. But in addition to foreign-based
online pharmacies are a growing number of U.S. based companies offering
medication to Americans making it easier and more convenient to receive much
needed prescription drugs. Trends do seem to point in the direction of
continual growth unless something happens to dampen the excitement the online
pharmaceutical industry is currently experiencing. Since the 90's the industry
has continued to flourish. For example, sales of Canadian drugs to U.S.
citizens alone have skyrocketed over the billion dollar mark in the past few
years and all signs point to this trend enduring. In addition, although these
numbers only represent a dollar volume of 0.35% of the total annual U.S.
prescription drug market, if Americans continue to use online pharmacies to
fill their prescription drug needs it will have a big impact on the industry as
a whole. While online pharmacies are growing at an exponential rate, it will
still be some time before a major shift from buying locally to buying online
occurs that will drastically alter the way the pharmaceutical industry
functions. In the meantime, consumers will no doubt continue to consider the
options that are most economically beneficial to them.
March 03, 2006
Full Story
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Bill to allow pharmacies to reimport drugs passes Senate
The Oklahoma Senate backs a drug reimportation plan that would permit state
pharmacies to obtain U-S-made prescription drugs from Canada and elsewhere for
sale here.The Federal Drug Administration has opposed drug reimportation bills,
claiming they violate the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U-S Constitution.
Those measures mainly deal with allowing individuals to obtain reimported
drugs. Tulsa state Senator Tom Adelson says his legislation avoids that legal
question because it would require pharmacies to sell reimported medicines only
to Oklahomans in intrastate, not interstate, commerce. Most programs are geared
to allowing individuals obtain such drugs by crossing the border into Canada or
buying drugs online.
March 08, 2006
Democrats allege bad deal on drugs
Bay Area seniors are not saving significant money under Medicare's new
prescription drug program, according to a report released Monday by most of the
Bay Area's House Democrats. The report says Bay Area prices for 2004's 10
best-selling prescription drugs among seniors are 75 percent higher under the
new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit than under deals negotiated by
the federal government at other agencies such as the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Medicare Part D's prices also are 60 percent higher than those paid by
consumers in Canada; almost 5 percent higher than prices on Drugstore.com; and
almost 2 percent higher than prices at Costco, the report found. But
Republicans who shepherded the bill through Congress rejected a proposal to let
Medicare negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. The report proves
"what we've been saying since the debate on the Republican Medicare drug bill
began," said Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont, in a news release. "If you create a
privatized drug benefit and refuse to let the government negotiate lower
prices, senior citizens and people with disabilities will pay the price," said
Stark, who as ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee's Health
Subcommittee is particularly outspoken on the issue. "Instead of attempting to
set Medicare on the road to privatization, Republicans in Congress should have
worked with Democrats to establish a real prescription benefit within
Medicare."
March 08, 2006
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