Dramatic Drug Cost Discrepancies Revealed in Statewide Investigation
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-06-13 15:14:38.602044-04:00
A recent investigation of prescription drug prices by Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox revealed staggering cost differences between identical prescription drugs across the state, including price differences of more than $100 within a community for the same dosage of the same drug.
During the week of May 7-11, 2007 Attorney General investigators surveyed 200 pharmacies in 10 different communities across the state. The team investigated the prices of 11 commonly prescribed drugs that do not appear on the Michigan Department of Community Health's drug price Web site, which only provides pricing information for 30 drugs.
The communities surveyed include: Detroit, Marquette, Flint, Saginaw/Bay City, Troy, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Warren and Traverse City.
"The results of our investigation are staggering," Attorney General Mike Cox said. "A senior in Detroit could pay as much as $102 more for the identical prescription drugs only a matter of miles apart; a consumer in Lansing could pay as much as $98.99 more for identical drugs."
The drug survey investigation follows a previous round of surveys conducted during January, February and May of last year.
"More than 1.1 million Michigan citizens are uninsured," Cox said. "This information can help seniors, the uninsured and consumers save an average of $17.36 per prescription. For the average senior with four prescriptions, that's a yearly savings of more than $833 dollars."
On May 22, Bill Knox, Associate State Director for Government Affairs for AARP Michigan, participated in a press conference with Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox and Sen. Roger Kahn at the state capitol to announce the introduction of legislation to help empower consumers to comparison shop prescription drug costs.
The proposed legislation will require the Michigan Department of Community Health to expand the number of prescription drugs and more specific information about those drugs on its Web site from 30 drugs to 150 drugs, making it more user-friendly. The current Web site fails to include any drugs that treat major diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease or cancer.
"A survey of Michigan AARP members showed that prescription drug prices are their major healthcare cost concern," Knox said. "That's why the ability to comparison shop via the Internet is so crucial."
Results of the drug survey are available online.
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