Posted inNews, Politics and Government

Colorado moves another step closer to importing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada

Colorado has taken another step toward importing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, after signing contracts with companies on both sides of the border that will handle the transaction. The state hopes that bringing in regular, everyday prescription drugs from Canada, where they are sold at a lower price than in the United States, will help […]

Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns

Littwin: Hickenlooper never gave up on Manchin. Could that really be why Manchin never gave up on the climate bill?

In the biggest congressional news of late and very possibly the most important since Joe Biden took office, Sen. Joe Manchin has changed his position — yes, one more time — on Biden’s much-reduced, yet-still-all-important climate-change package. In a city where secrets are rarely held for long, Manchin’s announcement of yet another change of heart […]

Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government

Colorado’s plan to import prescription drugs from Canada just got a boost, thanks to Congress

Let’s say you take a daily dose of a really common medication — maybe Lipitor, at 10mg a pop. If you walk into a Denver-area pharmacy and pay out of pocket for the brand-name version, you are looking at around $1,000 for a 90-day supply, according to prices tracked at GoodRX. That comes out to […]

Posted inHealth, News

Colorado’s program to stop patients from “doctor shopping” for opioids hasn’t been working, audit finds

A Colorado program that allows doctors, dentists, pharmacists and others to check a database before issuing prescriptions for certain drugs hasn’t stopped so-called “doctor shopping” for opioids and sedatives and requires legislation to compel prescribers to register with the database and to use it. That’s according to the Office of the State Auditor, which examined Colorado’s Prescription […]

Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government

Colorado lawmakers wage multifront assault on high drug costs

By Markian Hawryluk, Kaiser Health News Tired of waiting for federal action to reduce prescription drug costs, Colorado is acting on its own — even if it must do so with one arm tied behind its back. Unable to set prices or change patent protections, the state is exploring creative legislative and administrative approaches to […]

Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns

Opinion: Colorado needs a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to protect the public interest

As someone living with multiple sclerosis, I have seen first hand the cost of MS disease modifying therapies (DMTs) rise, making these essential medications unattainable for some patients.   Drug prices for individuals with MS quadrupled between 2006 and 2016 and continue to rise. MS DMT costs have accelerated at rates far beyond inflation and considerably […]