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Wisconsin is joining the new program
developed by Illinois, providing approximately 18 million residents
in the two states with access to lower-priced prescription drugs
through a network of 45 inspected and approved pharmacies and
wholesalers in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Consumers in Wisconsin and Illinois can
look up I-SaveRx prices and start the enrollment process by calling
toll-free 1 (866) ISAVE33 or by visiting
www.I-SaveRx.net.
"Today, we are here to announce two
things: First, beginning immediately, our prescription drug program,
called I-Save Rx, is now open for business. Anyone who lives in
Illinois can start saving money on their prescription drugs today.
And second, I am delighted to announce that, thanks to the
leadership of Governor Jim Doyle, the state of Wisconsin is now
joining our program," said Gov. Blagojevich. "So now, the nearly 13
million people who live in Illinois and the more than 5 million
people who live in Wisconsin will have the opportunity to save
hundreds -- and in some cases even thousands -- of dollars each year
on the high cost of their medicine. It means our seniors will no
longer have to spend more money than they have just to afford the
medicine they need."
"There's no reason why our citizens
should have to pay twice as much for safe prescription medicines as
the rest of the world, but that's exactly the situation we're in
because the federal government refuses to take on the drug
companies," Gov. Doyle said. "This initiative gives our citizens
another option. The system relies only on pharmacies that have
passed a rigorous inspection by Illinois -- and verified by
Wisconsin. It offers people both safety and savings, and we hope our
citizens will take advantage of that."
"Illinois and Wisconsin are leading
the nation in providing their citizens with access to safe,
affordable prescription drugs and saving taxpayers millions of
dollars," said Emanuel, the Illinois congressman participating in
the announcement. "This is a prairie fire that is building across
America."
Gov. Blagojevich called on other
states to join the program and expand options for people across the
country who can't afford their medications. He mailed letters and
program information Monday to all 48 other governors.
Representatives from the 1.6
million-member AARP Illinois stood with the governors at the
announcement on Monday to show the organization's support for the I-SaveRx
program. The AARP has been a vocal advocate at the national level
for legislation allowing the importation of prescription drugs from
Canada and other developed countries.
"We commend the governor for his
efforts," said Ralph Yaniz, state director of the AARP Illinois.
"AARP is keenly aware that millions of our members are now engaged
in importation of prescription drugs from abroad. The argument over
safety concerns only makes more imperative the need to monitor this
activity and establish procedures and protocol. Governor
Blagojevich's importation initiative, along with currently available
programs, will give older Illinoisans some relief from the high
costs of prescription drugs."
Under the I-SaveRx plan just
launched, participants can save an average of 25 percent to 50
percent on the cost of the most common medications used to treat
chronic conditions. For instance, a three-month supply of the drug
Lipitor in 20 mg doses, which is used to treat high cholesterol,
costs an average of $282 in the United States; but it is available
through I-SaveRx for $180 from Ireland, $202 from the United Kingdom
and $210 from Canada, plus the $15 shipping charge per order. A
three-month supply of Celebrex in 100 mg doses, used to treat
arthritis pain, costs $213 in the United States; but it costs only
$101 in Ireland, $102 in the United Kingdom and $79 in Canada, plus
shipping.
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A number of states, including
Wisconsin, have given citizens the opportunity to save by launching
websites that link users directly to mail-order pharmacies in
Canada. Wisconsin's program, launched in February 2004 at
www.drugsavings.wi.gov,
includes links to three Canadian pharmacies that offer significant
savings to citizens.
The new I-SaveRx program is the
first to establish a network of pharmacies that includes facilities
across the Atlantic. The I-SaveRx program has extensive safeguards
built in and includes thorough oversight of network pharmacies.
The new program connects users to
the I-SaveRx clearinghouse, administered by CanaRx, through the
website or toll-free telephone number. The clearinghouse provides
users with information on the list of medications included in the
program, prices in each of the three countries, and enrollment forms
and guidance. Consumers can enjoy one-stop shopping rather than
contacting numerous pharmacies to gather information and compare
prices.
Before ordering, new enrollees must
mail or have their doctor fax a completed health profile form and
signed prescription to the clearinghouse. Once the clearinghouse has
received the prescription and health profile form, it will conduct
an initial scan for appropriateness using the same drug interaction
software used in Illinois pharmacies. If the prescription passes the
interaction test, it will then be turned over to a network physician
in the country from which the medication will be dispensed, who will
review and rewrite the prescription for a local network pharmacy.
The pharmacy will perform a final safety check to comply
with local laws and regulations before dispensing the
medication.
The I-SaveRx import program builds
in numerous safety measures to ensure the quality and safety of
drugs dispensed. The list of available drugs is limited to those
that are used for long periods of time and that cannot spoil during
the shipping process. Consumers can order eligible drugs for refill
only, so patients and their doctors have had time to review for
unanticipated side effects or interactions. All network pharmacies
agree to comply with Illinois pharmaceutical standards and to
dispense only drugs that are intended as domestic product in Canada,
Ireland or the United Kingdom -- meaning that the pharmacies cannot
dispense prescription drugs from other countries that are not part
of the program to I-SaveRx consumers.
While all residents of Illinois and
Wisconsin are eligible to enroll in I-SaveRx, the states are
focusing their promotional efforts on reaching people who do not
have prescription drug coverage -- estimated at more than 4 million
individuals in the two states combined.
Of that total, older citizens have
the greatest need for relief. According to the Center for Policy
Alternatives, one out of every five senior citizens takes at least
five prescription medications daily. Last year, the prices of the 30
prescription drugs used most by senior citizens rose more than four
times faster than the rate of inflation, according to Families USA.
This week Gov. Blagojevich will
launch an aggressive outreach campaign in Illinois targeted at
educating seniors about the new I-SaveRx program. He will visit a
dozen senior centers throughout the state this week and continue the
campaign over the next three months. In addition, the Department on
Aging and Department of Public Health will reach out to seniors and
physicians throughout the state to spread information about the
program and enrollment procedures.
[News release from the
governor's office]
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