Ohio's seniors get a break on cost of drugs -- finally

State Sen. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown wants to be the Democratic sponsor of a bill being drafted that would give Ohio residents 60 and older and low-income Ohioans of all ages a break of between 25 percent and 40 percent in the cost of prescription drugs. It's not an unreasonable request from Hagan, seeing as how he has spent the past 16 years in the general assembly pushing the issue of affordable health care.
Indeed, he has a bill pending in the Senate that would give the state the power to negotiate reduced prescription drug prices for all Ohioans who are uninsured or underinsured. However, it has little chance of seeing the light of day because the Republican-controlled General Assembly has shown little interest in giving a Democrat center stage on an issue of such importance.
On the other hand, the measure now being drafted by legislative researchers was the result of an agreement reached between the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs, comprising 18 labor unions and other groups, and drug makers. Hagan has been active in the coalition.
The decision on sponsorship rests with the president of the Senate, Doug White, R-Manchester, who said Thursday he had not decided which Republican will co-sponsor the bill. White acknowledged that Hagan has asked to be the Democratic sponsor.
Republicans AWOL
We would remind White that his party hasn't exactly blazed a trail on the issue of rising health care costs. A year ago, we posed the following questions in this space:
"How many testimonials from Ohioans on fixed income will it take for the Republican controlled state legislature to realize that prescription medicines are a necessity for many, not a luxury?
"Why won't the GOP leadership in the House and Senate set politics aside and let bills sponsored by state Sen. Robert F. Hagan, D-Youngstown, and state Rep. Dale Miller, D-Cleveland, have committee hearings and full-blown floor debates?
"How much higher will the price of life-sustaining prescription drugs have to go before someone in state government says, "enough"?
Our position was influenced, to a large extent, by the testimonials of woe from Mahoning Valley residents who are among the 2.2 million Ohioans without drug coverage. These testimonials were presented at public hearings organized by proponents of the initiative to reduce the cost of medicines.
It was during that time that we found out about "skippers," individuals who skip doses of prescription medicine to make supplies last longer. It was clear that these individuals were not getting the full effect of the drug because they weren't taking it in the manner prescribed by the doctor.
That is why we have been unwavering in our support of Hagan on this issue.
Now finally, the Republicans have seen the light -- and that's a good thing.
Republican Gov. Bob Taft last week announced that Ohioans 60 and over should start saving money under the Golden Buckeye Card-based program that he first talked about some time ago. The program is expected to help more than 2 million Ohioans save up to 30 percent on prescription drugs. The number includes about 680,000 Ohioans who have no insurance or are underinsured for prescription drugs.
Immediate relief
The governor noted that the Golden Buckeye Card program will provide immediate relief, whereas the legislative initiative will take some time to bear fruit. But Taft also indicated that if the General Assembly approves the bill being drafted, the Golden Buckeye card could be used to establish eligibility for participating in the program.
While the Republicans are in the spotlight today, it would be the height of political brazenness for them to disregard the work done by Sen. Hagan, Rep. Miller, union leaders and others to keep this important issue on the front burner and to drum up support statewide for a statewide ballot initiative.
The senator from Youngstown has earned the right to have his name on the bill.