Sacramento Bee Gives the Lie to Big Pharma’s Lie about Prop 61 Hurting Veterans

“There is no truth to the suggestion the measure increases the cost of a veteran’s co-pay”

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--()--The Sacramento Bee has reviewed Big Pharma’s ubiquitous veterans’ ads against Proposition 61 and given the lie to the fabrication that the measure would increase drug prices for vets. The spots feature veterans arguing that passage of the measure would cost them more money for drugs provided through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“The opponents of Proposition 61 have put more than $100 million behind its defeat,” the Bee writes. “The ad is misleading because it flatly assumes [that drug companies would raise drug prices to the Department of Veterans Affairs]. There also is no truth to the suggestion the measure increases the cost of a veteran’s copay. VA recipients have fixed co-pays, while some qualify for free health care altogether.” The full article can be seen HERE.

“Once again, the shameless drug companies have been caught in a lie, threatening veterans with false claims that their drug prices will increase if the measure passes,” said Garry South, lead strategist for the Yes on Prop. 61 campaign. “Both claims stem from one thing: Big Pharma is terrified of the ripple effect Prop. 61 will have on drug prices and profits if passed. They bought off the lobbyist for many of the old-line veterans groups to scare them into opposing Prop. 61. For too long, Big Pharma has used big money to buy politicians and scare voters. People are now fed up, and many veterans are seeing through Big Pharma’s lies and false threats and speaking out in favor of Prop. 61.” All Yes on 61 vet ads can be seen HERE.

Prop. 61 would require the state of California to negotiate with drug companies for drug prices that are no more than is paid for the same drugs by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Unlike Medicare, the DVA negotiates for drug prices on behalf of the millions of veterans it serves, and pays on average 20-24 percent less for medications than other government agencies, and up to 40 percent less than Medicare Part D. Prop. 61 empowers the state, as the healthcare buyer for millions of Californians, to negotiate the same or an even better deal for taxpayers, saving the state billions.

Prop. 61 has been endorsed by AARP, the California Nurses Association, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and his new organization Our Revolution, Consumer Watchdog, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, civil rights and labor activist Dolores Huerta, the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Urban League, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the Campaign for a Healthy California, Progressive Democrats of America, Social Security Works and VoteVets Action Fund. In addition, Prop. 61 is supported by county Democratic parties in Alameda, Contra Costa, Madera, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Ventura and Yolo counties, numerous California Democratic Party (CDP) officials, including former longtime California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres, CDP Secretary Daraka Larimore-Hall and CDP Controller Hilary Crosby. A full list of endorsements can be found at http://www.Yeson61.com/endorsements/.

www.Yeson61.com

Paid for by Yes on Prop 61, Californians for Lower Drug Prices, with major funding by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and California Nurses Association PAC. FPPC ID#1376791

Contacts

Yes on Prop. 61
Roger Salazar
916.284.1255
RSalazar@alzamedia.com

Release Summary

Sacramento Bee Gives the Lie to Big Pharma’s Lie about Prop 61 Hurting Veterans; “There is no truth to the suggestion the measure increases the cost of a veteran’s co-pay”

Contacts

Yes on Prop. 61
Roger Salazar
916.284.1255
RSalazar@alzamedia.com