Republican legislators say it’s time to get the big drug companies to cut prices for the pharmaceuticals prescribed to Iowa’s Medicaid patients. House Republican Leader Christopher Rants of Sioux City says it’s part of a plan to pare-down costs in the government insurance program for the poor and disabled.Rants says other states like Florida and Michigan have told drug companies that if they want the business, they’ll reduce their drug prices for Iowa Medicaid patients. Rants says republicans also want to have Medicaid patients pay a buck if they get a “brand name” prescription drug rather than a generic.Rants says it’s a way to encourage Medicaid patients to choose the cheaper generic drugs. Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack has already rejected that prescription co-pay idea once before, but it was a one-dollar co-pay on all prescriptions, even the cheap generics.
