27 Nov The News Review: Rural Oregon needs lower-cost medications
“Now more than ever, we need to examine all approaches to solving the health care crisis for our vulnerable children, families and seniors in rural Oregon. With more than 600,000 living in rural areas across Oregon, we have to be acutely aware of how best we can ensure these neighbors have access to critical and affordable health care solutions. Places like Douglas County deserve health care as affordable and as high quality as any other county in our state.
Unfortunately, it is easier said than done. And, it is altogether more difficult when special interests in Washington decide what is best for rural communities.
It’s why today I am especially frustrated to learn that prescription drug companies, a $450 billion-dollar industry, want to scrap a program that actually provides discounted drugs to Douglas County residents, helping to bridge the divide and lower barriers to life-saving drugs.
That’s right. The pharmaceutical industry has its sights set on cutting the 340B program, a lifeline to rural health care providers, because the drug makers believe that discounts aren’t necessary for our community any longer.”
