Sacramento Bee Gives the Lie to Big Pharma’s Lie about Prop 61 Hurting Veterans
October 26 2016 - 6:50PM
Business Wire
“There is no truth to the suggestion the
measure increases the cost of a veteran’s co-pay”
The Sacramento Bee has reviewed Big Pharma’s ubiquitous
veterans’ ads against Proposition 61 and given the lie to the
fabrication that the measure would increase drug prices for vets.
The spots feature veterans arguing that passage of the measure
would cost them more money for drugs provided through the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs.
“The opponents of Proposition 61 have put more than $100 million
behind its defeat,” the Bee writes. “The ad is misleading
because it flatly assumes [that drug companies would raise drug
prices to the Department of Veterans Affairs]. There also is
no truth to the suggestion the measure increases the cost of a
veteran’s copay. VA recipients have fixed co-pays, while some
qualify for free health care altogether.” The full article can be
seen HERE.
“Once again, the shameless drug companies have been caught in a
lie, threatening veterans with false claims that their drug prices
will increase if the measure passes,” said Garry South, lead
strategist for the Yes on Prop. 61 campaign. “Both claims stem from
one thing: Big Pharma is terrified of the ripple effect Prop. 61
will have on drug prices and profits if passed. They bought off the
lobbyist for many of the old-line veterans groups to scare them
into opposing Prop. 61. For too long, Big Pharma has used big money
to buy politicians and scare voters. People are now fed up, and
many veterans are seeing through Big Pharma’s lies and false
threats and speaking out in favor of Prop. 61.” All Yes on 61 vet
ads can be seen HERE.
Prop. 61 would require the state of California to negotiate with
drug companies for drug prices that are no more than is paid for
the same drugs by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(DVA). Unlike Medicare, the DVA negotiates for drug prices on
behalf of the millions of veterans it serves, and pays on average
20-24 percent less for medications than other government agencies,
and up to 40 percent less than Medicare Part D. Prop. 61
empowers the state, as the healthcare buyer for millions of
Californians, to negotiate the same or an even better deal for
taxpayers, saving the state billions.
Prop. 61 has been endorsed by AARP, the California Nurses
Association, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and his new organization Our
Revolution, Consumer Watchdog, former U.S. Secretary of Labor
Robert Reich, civil rights and labor activist Dolores Huerta, the
Rev. Al Sharpton, the Urban League, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the
Campaign for a Healthy California, Progressive Democrats of
America, Social Security Works and VoteVets Action Fund. In
addition, Prop. 61 is supported by county Democratic parties in
Alameda, Contra Costa, Madera, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis
Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma,
Ventura and Yolo counties, numerous California Democratic Party
(CDP) officials, including former longtime California Democratic
Party Chair Art Torres, CDP Secretary Daraka Larimore-Hall and CDP
Controller Hilary Crosby. A full list of endorsements can be found
at http://www.Yeson61.com/endorsements/.
www.Yeson61.com
Paid for by Yes on Prop 61, Californians for
Lower Drug Prices, with major funding by AIDS Healthcare Foundation
and California Nurses Association PAC. FPPC ID#1376791
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161026006969/en/
Yes on Prop. 61Roger
Salazar916.284.1255RSalazar@alzamedia.com