Maine lawmakers are considering legislation requiring drug makers to disclose how they arrive at prices for drugs that have posted big cost increases over time, or that have suddenly spiked in price.
Sen. Eloise Vitelli, a Democrat from Arrowsic, is the sponsor of the bill.
“The bill we are proposing is a first step to engage manufacturers in an effort to give consumers a glimpse into the cost of needed medicines," Vitelli says. "It will give the Attorney General the authority to investigate these drug prices.”
Several participants at a State House news conference told of drugs that have been around for years and are now generic, yet are seeing big increases in costs. The advocacy group Consumers for Affordable Health Care says it believes that Mainers strongly support such disclosure.
Steven Butterfield of Consumers for Affordable health care
says the bill does not set prices “ What it does do is give our state the
authority to find out how especially high priced drugs, or drugs where costs
are rising very rapidly, are having their prices set. “
