Ritter's first bill: discount drugs
April Washington, Rocky Mountain News
Published February 5, 2007 at midnight
A jubilant Gov. Bill Ritter signed his first bill into law today, creating a way for about 300,000 Coloradans to receive state assistance in buying discount prescription drugs.
"It’s the law," said Ritter as he placed five bill signing pens down and rose from the table.
Ritter said that he pledged on the campaign trail to not only seek long-term solutions to health care, but to take immediate action to lower health care costs for the 17 percent of the state’s population without health insurance.
"We all know people who at one time or another have delayed filling a prescription, taken less medication than a doctor prescribed or didn’t fill a prescription at all because of costs," he said. "Today, we make the costs of prescription medications for hundreds of thousands Coloradans more affordable."
Senate Bill 1 will allow Colorado residents who lack health insurance to pay a one-time $20 fee to participate in program to buy discounted prescription drugs through the participating pharmacies. The program kicks off Sept. 1, and up to 10,000 types of prescription drugs could be sold at whole-sale prices, providing participants savings up to 80 percent.
The signing of the bill comes on the heels of an executive order Ritter signed last month that directs the state to develop a preferred drug list.
Former Gov. Bill Owens twice vetoed a preferred drug lists measure.
"We’re hopeful this takes a contentious issue off the table," said Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs.
Ritter praised the bill's sponsors, Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, and Rep. Alice Madden, D-Boulder.
"This is a good first step, but there is more we need to do," said Hagedorn.
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