Three steps to increase access to affordable prescription drugs

By Senator Amy Klobuchar, (Democrat- MN)

Modern medicine is performing miracles every day. From a new type of chemotherapy that helps a patient fight cancer to pain medications that provide relief to those suffering from arthritis, we are living in the midst of a "golden age" for pharmaceutical research and medical innovation. But we recently received a powerful reminder that not everyone has the same opportunity to benefit from today's medical marvels.


Last month, Turing Pharmaceuticals increased the price of Daraprim - a lifesaving drug used to treat an infection called toxoplasmosis - by more than 5,000 percent, from $13.50 per pill to $750. 

This case is particularly shocking, and after a public outcry, Turing ultimately agreed to lower the drug's price. But this isn't a new phenomenon, it's just the latest chapter in the history of a broken system. In 2011, Ovation Pharmaceuticals raised the price of Indocin IV - a critical medicine that helps save the lives of premature babies - by nearly 1,300 percent.

The sky-high cost of prescription drugs is hurting families in Minnesota and across the country. Kyle, a 25-year-old from Roseville with Type I Diabetes, is paying about $4,000 out of pocket each year for the insulin and pump he needs. 

That's a hefty $300 per month bill for someone just starting out in his career. Joyce, a retiree, lost her husband to complications from diabetes, but not before the family paid tens of thousands of dollars a year in prescription drug costs.

Kyle and Joyce are not alone. A recent study showed that one out of four Americans whose prescription drug costs went up said they were unable to pay their medical bills and one out of five were forced to skip doses of their medication. 

Seven percent of people even missed a mortgage payment due to the increase in their prescription drug costs. That's just not right, and our country should do better.

In the United States, we spend about 40 percent more per person each year on pharmaceuticals than any other country. Though many factors contribute to the prescription drug cost crisis we're facing, there are three big things that we can do to address the problem.

First, we need to ensure that consumers are not prevented from purchasing cheaper generic versions of the drugs they need because of harmful "pay-for-delay" deals that keep less expensive generic drugs from entering the market. 

These deals happen when a brand-name drug company pays a generic drug competitor not to sell its products. These "deals" stifle competition and keep affordable generics out of the hands of patients who need them. 

To crack down on this behavior, I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa that will give the Federal Trade Commission more power to block these anti-competitive agreements.

Our neighbors to the north in Canada often pay significantly less for prescription drugs than we do. In 2012, average prescription drug prices were half as expensive in Canada as they were in America. 

This staggering difference motivated me to introduce a bipartisan bill with Sen. John McCain of Arizona that would require the Food and Drug Administration to establish a personal importation program that would allow Americans to safely import a 90-day supply of prescription drugs from an approved Canadian pharmacy.

Finally, while Medicaid and the Department of Veterans Affairs can currently negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, the law bans Medicare from doing so. 

This is a bad policy for our seniors and for taxpayers. That is why I introduced legislation to allow Medicare to directly negotiate with drug companies for price discounts. 

My bill would save Medicare billions of dollars and help cut costs for more than 37 million seniors across the country.

Whether battling a serious disease or taking medication for a chronic condition, everyone deserves access to the prescription drugs that can help them live a long and healthy life. These commonsense solutions will help ensure that Americans have access to the drugs they need at prices they can afford.

Prescription Drug Costs Remain Atop the Public’s National Health Care Agenda, Well Ahead of Affordable Care Act Revisions and Repeal

28% of Public Report Asking Doctor about a Drug They Saw Advertised, and 12% Say Their Doctor Prescribed It

Few Workers Expect Raises if Employers Reduce Health Benefits to Avoid Cadillac Tax as Many Economists Predict

October 28, 2015--With some presidential candidates laying out details of their health care platforms, the cost of prescription drugs remains at the top of the public’s health care priority list for the President and Congress, the October Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds.

Making sure that high-cost drugs for chronic conditions, such as HIV, hepatitis, mental illness and cancer, are affordable for those who need them is the top priority, picked by more than three quarters of the public (77%). It was the top priority of Democrats, Republicans and independents alike, with at least seven in 10 of each group citing it.

The public ranks government action to lower prescription drug costs second, with 63 percent saying it is a top priority, including a majority of Republicans (56%).  That’s similar to the share of Republicans who say repealing the entire Affordable Care Act is a top priority (58%).

Other priorities picked by more than half of the public include assuring provider networks are adequate, protections against surprise out of network bills, and increasing price and quality transparency.

In contrast, issues specific to the Affordable Care Act, such as repealing several of its provisions or the entire law, fall lower on the list. For example, while the public generally opposes the so-called Cadillac tax on more expensive employer health plans, just 30 percent pick eliminating it as a top priority, ranking it 12th on the poll’s priority list.

Economists generally believe that employers will raise workers’ wages if they reduce the cost of their health benefits to avoid the Cadillac tax. The poll finds few people with employer-sponsored coverage expect that to happen. Just 20 percent think their wages would increase if their employer offered less generous health benefits, while three quarters (76%) think wages would not increase.

Favorable and unfavorable views of the ACA overall were tied this month, with 42 percent holding each view. Compared to when most of the law’s provisions were just taking effect in early 2014, more now say their impression of the law is based on their own experience (35% now, up from 23% in February 2014), while fewer say it is based on what they’ve seen in the media (30% now, down from 44% in February 2014).

The survey also probes the public’s experiences with drug advertisements. A large majority (82%) report they’ve seen or heard such advertising, and 28 percent say they have talked with a doctor about a specific drug they saw advertised.

One in eight adults (12%) say they were given a specific drug after asking a doctor about its advertisements;15 percent say the doctor recommended changes in their behavior or lifestyle;14 percent say the doctor recommended a different prescription drug, and 11 percent say the doctor recommended an over-the-counter option. These findings are similar to the results of previous Kaiser polling in 2008.

About half of the public (51%) say prescription drug advertising is mostly a good thing. Half (50%) also say drug advertisements do a good or excellent job of telling consumers which condition or disease the drug is designed to treat, and nearly as many say the ads do at least a good job telling consumers about the potential benefits (47%) and potential side effects (44%).

The poll also finds a majority (57%) believes that drug companies spend too much money advertising to patients. A similar majority says the same about money spent marketing to doctors (62%), and two thirds (67%) say drug companies have a lot of influence over what doctors prescribe to their patients. In addition, 89 percent of the public favor having the Food and Drug Administration review drug ads for accuracy and clarity before the public sees them, something it does not do now.

The poll was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted from October 14 to 20, 2015 among a nationally representative random digit dial telephone sample of 1,203 adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish by landline (481) and cell phone (722).

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.

Candidates Must Prioritize Alzheimer’s Disease in Appeal to Voters

New Survey Shows Americans Want Elected Officials to Support Alzheimer’s Now

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 28, 2015 – A candidate’s relatability to voters and ability to understand the challenges they face make or break elections. Millions of American voters have had personal experience with Alzheimer’s disease and understand the dramatic toll the disease takes on families across the country.

As a result, according to a nationwide survey by the Alzheimer’s Association, voters view Alzheimer’s disease as a significant political priority for the 2016 congressional and presidential elections.

The nationwide voter survey indicates that: 1. 73 million voters have had a family member or close friend with Alzheimer’s disease 2.

More than one-third, or 52 million American voters have provided care or personal assistance to a relative, friend or neighbor with Alzheimer’s 3. 82 percent of voters nationwide are concerned about Alzheimer’s disease 4. 87 percent of voters feel unprepared or only somewhat prepared to meet care needs of a family member who develops Alzheimer’s disease 5.

The majority, 64 percent, of voters would be more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who has pledged to support a major national research effort to fight Alzheimer’s

“The survey findings indicate that 73 million American voters know someone with Alzheimer’s disease, so it’s not surprising that the majority of voters expect our government to make Alzheimer’s research and care a priority,” said Robert Egge, chief public policy officer and executive vice president of government affairs, Alzheimer’s Association.

“As presidential and congressional candidates look toward 2016, they should understand that voters want to know that they plan to address the Alzheimer’s disease and, specifically, what actions they intend to take when it comes to this mounting health crisis.”

Issues important to voters can be controversial but urgently addressing the Alzheimer’s crisis is not. Alzheimer’s disease is an important voter issue that is not controversial for any candidate. All candidates know this is a critical challenge to face; how they will differ is in their approach and plan to quickly address this already enormous and mounting health crisis. Presidential and congressional candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, have already begun to discuss the Alzheimer’s disease crisis while campaigning.

As Alzheimer’s crosses political lines, American voters are recognizing the disease as an issue that must be proactively addressed by those they are considering for office. “Prioritizing Alzheimer’s disease research funding is smart politics for a very important reason,” said Egge.

“Americans understand it’s the only way to change the deadly and expensive trajectory that is bearing down on so many American families.”

Alzheimer's is already America's most expensive disease, costing the country more each year than cancer or heart disease. Alzheimer’s disease also remains the only cause of death among the nation’s top 10 that cannot be prevented, cured, or even slowed.

Today, Medicare spends nearly one in five dollars on people with Alzheimer’s but, by midcentury; the government will spend nearly one in three dollars on the disease, which encompasses 31 percent of Medicare's budget, a nearly twofold increase.

The latest research reveals more than 28 million baby boomers are expected to develop Alzheimer’s between now and midcentury, dramatically increasing already overwhelming costs further—for both voters and the government.

For more information about the voter survey, visit alz.org/survey. ### Alzheimer’s Association® The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit www.alz.org

AARP Brain Health Survey Reveals Nearly Half of People Are Not Doing the Most Important Activities to Support Brain Health New Survey Results Released with the Launch of the Global Council on Brain Health

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In AARP's latest survey on brain health, it found that although virtually every adult age 40 and over (98%) believes it is important to maintain or improve their brain health, only about half (56%) are doing one of the two most important activities to support their brain health—engaging in exercise and eating a healthy diet. 

According to a 2011 study by the Mayo Clinic and a 2010 study published in the Nature Reviews Neuroscience Journal, engaging in aerobic exercise regularly and eating a healthy diet are the two most important activities to maintain and improve brain health. 

To help empower people to maintain and improve their cognitive health, AARP is launching the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH)—an independent collaborative of scientists, doctors, scholars and policy experts. This collaborative will provide trusted information on what actions people can take to support their brain health through quarterly white papers, scientific reviews and other research.

"It's clear that people want to know how to keep their brains active and healthy as they age, but they need a trusted source that can help them make sense of all the latest developments in brain health science," saidSarah Lock, AARP Senior Vice President, Policy, Research and International Affairs. 

"The Global Council on Brain Health will help people understand what real-life approaches work best and empower them to live brain-healthy lifestyles."

The GCBH is an independent collaborative convened by AARP working together with Age UK—the United Kingdom's largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life—that will address a critical social issue and help people live their best lives. 

The collaborative will build on the Institute of Medicine's Cognitive Aging report from April 2015, which provided a basis for understanding the aging brain and described opportunities for actions. 

Members are eminent experts from leading research institutions working in the fields of neuroscience and geriatrics who will address the full range of factors that can impact brain health and examine key priority issue areas—such as physical exercise, mental engagement, stress levels, and medications and supplements.

10 Extraordinary Discounts People Age 50 And Above Should Know About From Electronics to Entertainment, AARP Members Can Access a Variety of Everyday Savings10 SAa

October 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Many AARP members already know of the discounts available to them on travel-related goods and services, such as car rentals, hotels, vacation packages and cruises. 

However, they might be surprised to learn they qualify for additional discounts on everyday costs, such as groceries, car maintenance and movie tickets.

"AARP members often tell us they enjoy the popular travel and dining discounts that are available to them," saidAngela Jones, senior vice president, business development and lifestyle products at AARP Services, Inc. "In fact, since 

Denny's launched their promotion in 2010, AARP members have utilized the discount more than 48 million times."

However, they might not know they are missing out on additional opportunities to save every day, Jones added. With an AARP membership, Americans 50 and over can unlock the potential to save on electronics, concerts, pet insurance plans, shipping costs and even regular car maintenance.

In addition to popular travel offers, AARP members can save on the following products and services:


1.      Movie Tickets: Regal Entertainment Group offers AARP members up to 25 percent off Regal movie tickets as well as $3.00 off a small or larger-size popcorn and soft drink combo.
2.     E-readers and Books: AARP members save 10 percent on Amazon Kindle e-readers, 50 percent on a selection of Kindle eBooks and 10 percent on a selection of print and audio books on Amazon.com from popular genres such as romance, mystery, thriller, and historical fiction.
3.     Car Maintenance: By presenting their AARP membership card at time of service, AARP members pay just$17.99 every day for an oil change, tire rotation and maintenance inspection at any Monro Muffler Brake & Service or Mr. Tire location. They also save 10 percent on auto repairs at any RepairPal certified shop.
4.    Shoes: AARP members save 20 percent on their entire purchase at any Reebok and Rockport Outlet Store or on Reebok.com.
5.     Dining: AARP members receive 15 percent off every day at Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill;  15 percent off the entire check at Denny's; 10 percent off at any of the 500 Landry's Inc. restaurants nationwide, including McCormick & Schmick's, Claim Jumper, Chart House and more.
6.    Shipping: AARP members receive 15 percent off eligible products and services and 5 percent off domestic and international UPS® shipping services when using their AARP membership card at over 4,500 retail The UPS Store locations.
7.     Pet Insurance: Pet owners save 10 percent or more insurance plans with Petplan pet insurance when they sign up online. They also receive up to a $35 Petplan Visa® Prepaid Card (restrictions may apply) to help with pet wellness expenses like flea/tick preventives, vaccines, dental cleanings and more.
8.    Grocery and Household Items: AARP members receive instant savings on featured products by swiping their AARP membership card at select Meijer, Family Dollar and Fred's Super Dollar locations, and earn 10 percent back on every order of delicious foods delivered right to their door by Schwan's Home Service.
9.    Concerts and Shows: AARP members save 25 percent or more when buying event tickets in groups of four from Ticketmaster, and save up to 30 percent on Cirque du Soleil shows.
10. Mobile Phone Service: AARP members can choose from a variety of wireless service providers, including Consumer Cellular, AT&T and Cricket Wireless. Consumer Cellular offers AARP members a 5 percent discount on monthly service charges and a 30 percent discount on eligible accessories, AT&T offers AARP members a 10 percent discount on the monthly service charge of qualifying wireless plans and a 15 percent discount on eligible accessories, and Cricket Wireless offers a $20 mail-in rebate for each line of service with the purchase of a phone.

AARP memberships cost just $16 a year and can often be 
recouped by using just a few of the many discounts available.

To take advantage of any discount or service offered to AARP members, or to find out about all the ways AARP members can save, download the free AARP Member Advantages Offer Finder mobile app for iOS and Android devices or visit aarpdiscounts.com.

50-Somethings Advised to Calculate Their 'Long-Term Care Savings Gap'

If it's too big, it jeopardizes retirement dreams, but there are options

October 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Most Americans are poorly prepared to pay for long-term care costs, but there's a two-step fix, according to ACSIA Partners, a leading long-term care insurance agency. 

It starts by learning if there's a gap, and how big, between your ability to pay and your likely future expenses.

For most Americans there is indeed a gap. According to a May 2015, report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), 52 percent of households age 55 and older have no savings for retirement (let alone long-term care). 

If you're among the 48 percent with some retirement savings, you may be prepared to cover some, but not all, of your probable LTC tab.

What to do?

"Step one," says Denise Gott, CEO of ACSIA Partners, "is to see if you have a gap, and how big." Doing so can take less than five minutes. 

For a rough estimate, Gott recommends entering a few facts into a calculator provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: http://longtermcare.gov/savings-calculator/.

Here's a sample calculation for a 52-year old woman planning to retire in Florida, who could afford to set aside$300 (earning 4 percent interest) per month starting now. 

She would have a long-term care savings gap of$652,184, based on $839,263 in projected care costs in Florida, for life remaining after age 65, minus $187,079in accumulated savings, as determined by government data and assumptions.

If the woman were married, there would likely be a similar gap for her partner.

Once you know you've got a gap, "the next step is just as simple and almost as quick," says Gott. "Ask a state-certified long-term care agent to help you explore your options." 

This can be done by phone or online. An in-person meeting is optional.

ACSIA Partners offers state-certified agents covering all parts of the country. 

To get in touch with one, just go to the company's website -- http://www.acsiapartners.com -- and submit an inquiry form indicating your state of residence.

ACSIA Partners LLC -- http://www.acsiapartners.com -- is one of America's largest and most experienced long-term care insurance solution agencies with hundreds of agents serving all states. 

The company is also a co-founder and sponsor of the "3in4 Need More" campaign, run by the 3in4 Association, which encourages Americans to form a long-term care plan.

Growing Old Can Be Risky Business

Elder abuse experts warn of age-associated financial vulnerability

Newswise, October 21, 2015 — Managing money can be difficult at any age. For older adults, changes in physical condition and life circumstances can lead to changes for the worse in financial behavior, putting their well-being in danger. Now those changes have been given a name: age-associated financial vulnerability.

Two experts in elder abuse coin the term and explain the concept in an opinion article published in the Oct. 13 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. They also call for research to identify and help older adults at risk from age-associated financial vulnerability, or AAFV for short.

They define the condition as “a pattern of financial behavior that places an older adult at substantial risk for a considerable loss of resources such that dramatic changes in quality of life would result.” To be considered AAFV, this behavior also must be a marked change from the kind of financial decisions a person made in younger years.

“For example, if an older adult gives his or her neighbor $10,000, this many be a sign of AAFV. However, if the older adult has given large sums of money to those in need throughout his or her adult lifetime, then the $10,000 gift in old age may not represent a change in behavior, and thus may not represent AAFV,” explains Duke Han, PhD, co-author of the study and associate professor of behavioral sciences at Rush University Medical Center

Not the same old problem

The authors note that AAFV is a condition different from age-related cognitive impairment, including dementia, which already is recognized as putting older adults at risk of causing themselves financial harm. Since recent studies have indicated that “cognitively intact older adults” may become financially vulnerable, they write, “cognitive impairment is not necessary for AAFV.”

Instead, the trouble can lie in the many ordinary changes brought about by aging. “Functional changes such as impaired mobility, vision and hearing loss, and the cost of multiple medications can directly influence vulnerability in older adults,” Han says.

Other potential contributing factors may include cognitive changes, such as a lessened ability to discern a person’s trustworthiness, and psychosocial problems, including loneliness or depression. 

In addition, the finance industry has identified older adults as an untapped market, which can lead to them being overwhelmed by the “dizzying array of financial products and services,” according to Han and co-author Mark Lachs, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and co-chief of geriatrics and gerontology at Weill Medical College in New York.

“In my discussions with Dr. Lachs about our experiences with the heart-breaking effects of financial vulnerability among our older patients, we decided that naming the problem may be a useful first step to addressing the issue,” Han says.

Protecting the vulnerable from the villainous.

Han and Lachs believe it’s important to understand AAFV as a condition in order to protect older adults who exhibit signs of it, distinct from behavior brought on by cognitive impairment or problems with financial judgement that preceded older age. In particular, AAFV can put a person at risk for financial exploitation: 

Han notes that financial abuse is one of the most common forms of elder abuse, and is the most frequent form of perpetrator-related elder abuse in Illinois.
“This is a growing problem since we have a large aging population with no ways to determine who is at risk and why,” Han warns. “We need more screening, and more interventional programs and strategies to address this issue. We also need to determine what the role and responsibility is of physicians in protecting their patients.”