GOP health plan proposes to lower prescription costs

Governor says it works with her plan to expand Medicaid

Topeka ? A no-new-taxes health care plan offered Tuesday by Senate Republicans was quickly co-opted by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who said the GOP’s alternative to her much more expensive proposal “fits in very well” with her ideas.

The two proposals are defined by their marked differences. The Republican effort, at a cost of about $750,000 annually, would focus on making prescription drugs more affordable. Sebelius’ plan to expand state and private health coverage for up to 100,000 uninsured Kansans has a price tag of $50 million annually, financed by increasing tobacco taxes.

Republican senators argued Sebelius’ initiatives are too costly. The governor responded by saying the GOP plan contains ideas worth incorporating into her approach.

As how the GOP plan compares to her proposals, Sebelius said, “I think it fits in very well.”

The GOP proposal calls for low-cost drugs to be made available at nine clinics throughout the state. The state would also promote a program announced earlier this month by 10 pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide drug discounts, as well as promote health savings accounts, in which people set aside money, tax free, to cover medical expenses.

Republicans said their plan could help more than 400,000 Kansans obtain discount prescriptions. Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, who helped draft the plan, acknowledged it wouldn’t provide basic health coverage to the nearly 300,000 Kansans who lack health insurance.

Nonprofit clinics at which low-cost prescription drugs would be available to low-income Kansans under a Senate Republican health plan:¢ Emporia: Flint Hills Community Health Center.¢ Garden City: United Methodist Western Kansas Mexican-American Community Health Center.¢ Great Bend: We Care Clinic.¢ Kansas City, Kan.: Brown Clinic.¢ Pittsburg: Community Health Center.¢ Salina: Salina Cares Clinic.¢ Topeka: Shawnee County Health Agency.¢ Wathena: Wathena Medical Center.¢ Wichita: Hunter Health Clinic.Clinics in Garden City and Wichita already offer low-cost prescription drugs. All nine clinics meet federal qualifications making them eligible to offer such aid.Source: Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved.

But Barnett, a doctor and chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, said Tennessee expanded its Medicaid program in the mid-1990s, only to later face soaring costs. Last week, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen announced he would cut 323,000 adults from the program.

Under the GOP plan, the state would spend about $424,000 to provide the drugs, then another $326,000 to allow the clinics to hire personnel to help patients with other prescription assistance programs. Local communities would have to match the $326,000.

Such discount drugs already are offered at clinics in Garden City and Wichita and would become available at clinics in Emporia, Great Bend, Kansas City, Pittsburg, Salina, Topeka and Wathena.

The GOP plan would promote health savings accounts partly by making them available to state employees. Senate Republicans also want to encourage the expansion of anti-smoking programs, study how much physical activity children receive in school and reduce low-nutritional foods served in schools.

A comparison of key points in health care plans proposed by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Senate Republican leaders:TOTAL COSTSebelius: $50 million annually. Financed by increasing tobacco taxes. Cigarette tax would rise 50 cents a pack, to $1.29. Tax on other tobacco products would rise to 15 percent from 10 percent.Senate GOP: $750,246 annually. Financed from existing state revenues.EXTENDING COVERAGESebelius: Would provide coverage of medical services to an additional 30,000 low-income adults through the Medicaid program, financed by the state and federal governments. Would cover an additional 40,000 children who are eligible but not enrolled in HealthWave, a state program for working families. Would subsidize private insurance plans for up to 30,000 additional low-wage workers.Senate GOP: Would not address issue.HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTSSebelius: Would not address issue.Senate GOP: Would encourage increased use of health savings accounts, in which individuals or families set aside money, tax free, to cover medical expenses. Would make such accounts an option for state employees.PRESCRIPTION DRUGSSebelius: Would work with pharmacies to provide low-cost generic drugs to low-wage workers. Established Web site to help consumers find drug discounts.Senate GOP: Would provide low-cost prescriptions to patients of nonprofit health clinics in Emporia; Garden City; Great Bend; Kansas City, Kan.; Pittsburg; Salina; Topeka; Wathena, and Wichita. Also would help those clinics link patients with other prescription assistance programs. Would promote Together Rx Access program, announced in January by 10 pharmaceutical companies to provide discounts to consumers.IMPORTING DRUGSSebelius: Brought Kansas into the I-SaveRx program started by Illinois, linking consumers with to more than 60 pharmacies and wholesalers in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom, to provide savings on prescriptions.Senate GOP: Avoids drug importation. Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, a doctor who led the drafting of plan, said: “It’s just a mistake to bypass our pharmacies. It’s risky.”HEALTH CARE COSTSSebelius: Formed special commission to study ways of reducing administrative costs in the health care system.Senate GOP: A new Health Care Committee will look for ways to make health care less costly, particularly under the Medicaid program.HEALTHIER LIVINGSebelius: Ordered Kansas Department of Health and Environment to work with businesses, educators and community leaders on a program to educate Kansans about healthier living.Senate GOP: Would encourage increased anti-smoking efforts and study how much physical activities are available to children in schools. Also would phase out low-nutrition foods offered in schools.