Do something about high prescription drug prices, say citizens at the State Capitol before tonight’s Minnesota House vote on a major health and human services funding bill. Claire Henn from Saint Paul, who has severe rheumatoid arthritis, says her medication co-pay went from 60 dollars a month to 14-hundred. “While I was off the medication I was in extreme pain,” she says. “I had to walk with a cane. I lost so much strength I couldn’t cut a peanut butter sandwich.”
House Democrats say their bill starts to rein-in “pharmacy benefit managers” which are making a lot of profit. They say there’s also a prescription drug program using the state’s buying power to reduce costs. It would start with public programs and later be available to everyone.