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Senate Moves To Ban Pharmacy ‘Gag Clauses’
One America News Network ^ | UPDATED 1:26 PM PT — Wed. July 25, 2018 | OAN Newsroom

Posted on 07/25/2018 7:44:15 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

A Senate committee recently passed a bill allowing pharmacists to inform customers of cheaper prescription options.

The new legislation bans the so-called ‘gag clauses’ on contracts between pharmacies and insurers.

Such provisions prevent pharmacists from telling customers their prescription is cheaper if paid for with cash instead of using insurance.

The Senate bill is sponsored by Republican Senator Susan Collins and is aimed at bringing down health care costs.

Collins said the ‘gag clauses’ allowed insurers to increase their revenues by withholding information from customers.

(Excerpt) Read more at oann.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: pharmaceuticals; pharmacy

1 posted on 07/25/2018 7:44:15 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Amazing that this wasn’t already effectively law with existing anti-trust laws. Tickerforum has relentlessly covered healthcare abuse in our system, which is nearly as bad as Euros/Canada, albeit in different ways.


2 posted on 07/25/2018 7:50:30 PM PDT by rb22982
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

How about informing the customers where their prescriptions are made, e.g., China? How about informing customers that the side effects they’re experiencing are because of the “fillers” in the prescriptions made in foreign countries?

Anyone doubting this, do your own research about generics coming from China, India, Costa Rica, etc. And find out how many “inspectors” there are in each country in relationship to how many labs.


3 posted on 07/25/2018 7:51:54 PM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
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To: rb22982

They devastated anti-trust in Healthcare when they made HMO’s. Not sure when they did it for pharmacy.


4 posted on 07/25/2018 7:58:49 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I have sometimes been suspicious about this happening - however, last time I asked, the generic price would have been $90 compared to my much lower co-pay.


5 posted on 07/25/2018 8:07:43 PM PDT by GnuThere
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To: ExTexasRedhead

Just found out today that my wife’s and my prescription was made with Chinese carcinogens... Anybody else on Valsartan???


6 posted on 07/25/2018 8:16:49 PM PDT by matthew fuller (How many of today's voters have ever seen a half-dollar coin (or silver dollar)?)
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To: matthew fuller

Yup. Have some from Mexico, which may include the Chinese chemical.


7 posted on 07/25/2018 8:37:59 PM PDT by bobcat62
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To: bobcat62

Solco and Teva are two of the mfg’s. Wife’s walgreens pulled all their stock.


8 posted on 07/25/2018 8:44:16 PM PDT by matthew fuller (How many of today's voters have ever seen a half-dollar coin (or silver dollar)?)
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To: ExTexasRedhead

Pretty much a given. What doesn’t. Come from other countries?


9 posted on 07/25/2018 8:52:31 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's agenda�Divide and conquer seems to be working.?)
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To: matthew fuller

Hubby. Going to talk to his dr coming up.


10 posted on 07/25/2018 8:53:52 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's agenda�Divide and conquer seems to be working.?)
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To: matthew fuller

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2018/07/19/worrisome-implications-of-valsartan-recall-over-cancer-fears/


11 posted on 07/25/2018 9:04:08 PM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
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To: TribalPrincess2U

I’m keeping my fingers crossed, my last reading (yesterday) was 111 over 75, and I’ve been off the BPM since 07/13. Lots of magnesium, Vitamin C, and fish oil just for starters.


12 posted on 07/25/2018 9:08:09 PM PDT by matthew fuller (How many of today's voters have ever seen a half-dollar coin (or silver dollar)?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Well thank you Susan Collins ... you finally did something useful.


13 posted on 07/25/2018 9:10:39 PM PDT by plain talk
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To: ExTexasRedhead

Thanks for that.


14 posted on 07/25/2018 9:14:18 PM PDT by matthew fuller (How many of today's voters have ever seen a half-dollar coin (or silver dollar)?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I have to use a nasal spray for allergies. I usually just get the Clariton, but this year my doctor wrote me a prescription and called it in to Walgreens.

Now, my clariton nasal spray is usually about $20.... so I go to pick up this prescription (and we have pretty good insurance), and the bill is like $80...

So, I ask the pharmacist if there was a mistake, as this is a generic, and I got a prescription for it, isn’t that supposed to be cheaper? He double checked and explained that is my out of pocket cost for the generic.

I asked if this was like a super powerful version of Clariton that I prescribed.... he said “no”. I asked if the Clariton was the same? He said “yes”. I asked why would I pay $20 for the brand name and $80 for the generic that goes through my insurance. He flat out said “I certainly wouldn’t, neither should you.... and pointed to the Clariton on the shelf, which was ON SALE 2 bottles for $16....

Total scam they are running.


15 posted on 07/25/2018 11:28:51 PM PDT by Bubba Gump Shrimp (A Liberal is someone who cannot accept that there is a Law of Unintended Consequences)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum; GailA; All

The .gov needs to STFU ABOUT ANYTHING THAT IS CONNECTED TO MEDICINE THEY HAVE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE!!!


16 posted on 07/25/2018 11:36:05 PM PDT by mabarker1 (congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Oh, Lookey.

We propose a bill to fix what we screwed up while inserting other amendments to screw up even more stuff while we brag about fixing something we screwed up.


17 posted on 07/26/2018 12:19:28 AM PDT by JParris
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To: rb22982

They already do


18 posted on 07/26/2018 1:20:04 AM PDT by personalaccts (Is George W going to protect the border?)
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To: Bubba Gump Shrimp

I have had prescriptions for a few things that were expensive through my insurance. I go home and first pull out the medication booklet from my insurance company to see what else they pay for and the cost. Sometimes it’s something like the milligrams. One example....doc prescribed Prilosec. Pharmacy said something like $40. The medication booklet said the lesser milligram capsule is $3. So the doc prescribes the lesser milligram capsule and doubles the dosage. You really have to watch that stuff.
Then there’s stuff that if I have a coupon from GoodRX is cheaper than my insurance. You have to watch that though because the pharmacy computer will ring up the wrong price for your next scrip because it ‘holds’ that you pay cash and they have to switch it back to your insurance.
Be prepared to do a little research is all I’m saying. Lol


19 posted on 07/26/2018 7:05:06 AM PDT by sheana
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To: matthew fuller

Good to know. My Doc retired & I don’t have a replacement. Suggested Docs are running a 6 month backlog before an initial appointment.


20 posted on 07/26/2018 8:09:16 AM PDT by bobcat62
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