Posted on 07/29/2002 7:02:51 AM PDT by floriduh voter
No matter how much the candidates for governor talk about prescription drug coverage, Doris Fortner doubts her friends will be satisfied.
They'll always want to hear more.
Fortner and other senior citizens in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties gave Janet Reno a warm reception Wednesday as she touted her new health care plan, which targets the high drug prices many people complain are taxing their retirements.
In a tour of the Tampa Bay area, Reno, the leading Democratic candidate, focused on her new plan for making prescription drugs cheaper, one of the few platforms for which she has provided details. She also offered her usual promises to do more for the environment, water management and education.
Reno pledged to use the state's size to negotiate with drug companies to bring lower prescription prices for people 65 and older. And she promised to hold accountable the drug companies that refuse to play.
"I think that she was talking very much along the lines of something most of the elderly want to hear about," Fortner, 82, said after Reno spoke to about 200 people at the Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay, a 500-resident retirement community in South Pasadena.
"I'm not thoroughly convinced it can be accomplished, but I believe she is the candidate who can do it if it can be done."
Reno's ideas were well-received at the Fountains and at Park Club of Brandon, an assisted-living facility in Hillsborough County.
But Republican Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign made clear it will fight back on this issue, noting the governor has taken several steps to lower drug prices. In 2000, Bush signed a bill requiring pharmacies to offer discounts to seniors on Medicare, the federal health insurance plan for the elderly.
This year's state budget also includes $29-million that, when coupled with federal funds, defrays drug costs for about 58,000 low- income seniors who aren't eligible for Medicaid, the insurance program for the poor, the Bush campaign said.
But Reno said her plan would mean more savings to more people. Under it, all residents 65 and older could pay $25 to enlist in the Affordable Prescription Drug Plan, joining state employees and state Medicaid recipients to form one giant buying pool. Florida has about 2.8-million people 65 or older.
She hopes to persuade drug companies to give rebates to the state that would amount to savings of up to 65 percent below retail costs of brand-name drugs, the same savings enjoyed by the Coast Guard, the Department of Veterans Affairs and some other federal agencies.
"I want to use the purchasing power of the state of Florida," Reno told the group at the Fountains. "If the pharmaceutical companies said no, and told us to go fly a kite, we'd say you'll have to get prior approval before doctors prescribe their medications."
She also threatened to publish the names and products of drugmakers that refused to negotiate, in an attempt to pressure them. And companies that didn't negotiate would see their drugs knocked off the list of approved drugs for state programs.
Reno also advocated requiring drug companies to disclose all expenses related to indirect advertising to physicians, including entertainment, meals, junkets, samples and other goodies.
"She said everything we wanted to hear, and she has a nice way of presenting it," said Jeanette Kennard, 87, a resident at Park Club of Brandon. "She's not fiddling around."
At her first stop of the day, a meeting of officials from Hillsborough chambers of commerce in Brandon, Reno said she also favored mandatory staffing requirements for hospitals and nursing homes.
Her remarks came in response to a question from Mike Fencel, chief executive at Brandon Regional Hospital, who expressed skepticism at her answer.
The health care industry opposes mandatory nurse-per-patient ratios because of the cost, but Reno pressed on.
"I think it's imperative that we add the staffing ratios because there's got to be some checks and balances," Reno said. "Something is clearly wrong."
Reno faces Tampa lawyer Bill McBride, her closest challenger, and state Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami in the Sept. 10 primary. The winner will take on Bush in November.
McBride declined to comment on Reno's drug plan, but he said he would release his own version soon.
She just can't take her USAG hat off even now. Threats and intimidation is Janet's way. She is not familiar with compromise - it's her way or the highway. Besides the thought of Janet working with a state budget, I'd say that's way over her head. Coast Guard and Veterans should take note that she wants seniors to get a similar RX plan to yours.
This excerpt is very disturbing and Orwellian and I see HRC's fingerprints all over it:
"She hopes to persuade drug companies to give rebates to the state that would amount to savings of up to 65 percent below retail costs of brand-name drugs, the same savings enjoyed by the Coast Guard, the Department of Veterans Affairs and some other federal agencies.
"I want to use the purchasing power of the state of Florida," Reno told the group at the Fountains. "If the pharmaceutical companies said no, and told us to go fly a kite, we'd say you'll have to get prior approval before doctors prescribe their medications."
She also threatened to publish the names and products of drugmakers that refused to negotiate, in an attempt to pressure them. And companies that didn't negotiate would see their drugs knocked off the list of approved drugs for state programs.
Reno also advocated requiring drug companies to disclose all expenses related to indirect advertising to physicians, including entertainment, meals, junkets, samples and other goodies."
Floriduh Voter says: This will never happen but can you imagine the size of the bureaucracy that would manage this GIGANTIC POOL OF RX DRUG USERS and also investigate the pharmaceutical companies that are all over the United States?
I don't think any governor can cross state lines and order RX companies in other states to make mandatory disclosures to the State of Florida! ANY ATTORNEYS WANT TO WEIGH IN? FV
Her mind-set has always been to "get somebody - anybody". Did you see her comment "We must protect the government." Her mind-set is prosecutorial with a touch of paranoia.
Her comments while she is campaigning are very disturbing. Her main opponent McBride's comments are just as disturbing. He has made comments that his time in Vietnam was "intoxicating" especially at night. Neither Reno or McBride are qualified to be Florida's governor. Both need psych evaluations IMO.
Jesse Jackson, maybe. Mao's "little red book" -- definitely. Someone needs to tell ol' "Shake and Bake" that she doesn't have tanks at her disposal any longer. Or does she?
Typical left-wing socialist politics, buying votes with that fictional "other people's money". And this scum has aspirations of becoming Florida's governor? Not in a million years.
Hopefully for her, her parkinson's approved drugs aren't the ones that she would have to ban because their manufacturer didn't compromise to her wishes.
GO JEB!!!!!!!!
Janet "Flamethrower" Reno, offers to bankrupt Florida's hospitals and drug companies in order to obtain a position of power. A truly scary woman/man.
...
Don't you mean "Tampa to Daytona"?
I don't object you extending the corridor to include I-95 up to Jax, but you can't call it the I-4 corridor if you do. :-)
GO JEB!!
LOL!
I think I'm going to have to dig out my tinfoil hat before I can understand what you're saying here. Levy and Gilcrist are a long way from I-4, they're kinda where the pan meets the handle.
Hmmmmmmmm, I don't supposed Janet will be targeting companies who manufacturer HIV drugs. FV
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.