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Like millions of other Californians, I often find myself standing in line at the pharmacy waiting to pick up my prescriptions.
Earlier this year I did exactly that, and when I reached the counter, I asked how much it would be for a 30-day supply. Last time, they told me I would owe $350; $11.66 per pill. I took a partial dose and drove twenty minutes to Tijuana. I walked into a gigantic pharmacy and asked if they carried the same medicine. Luckily, they did.
The pharmacist came back with a box with 30 capsules. Same American company, same color box. The only differences: the box性视界传媒檚 wording was in Spanish and the printed address was in Mexico City. The cost: $60, $2 a pill.
Staggering prices at the pharmacy counter have made medicine drastically less accessible for those living paycheck to paycheck. Meanwhile, the 16 largest drug companies made over $684 billion combined in 2023. I性视界传媒檓 all for free enterprise, but billions in profits for critical medicines from average Californians is just wrong.
Right now, Governor Newsom is deciding whether to sign or veto legislation that would further increase the cost of prescription drugs for working families across California while lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies. Senate Bill 966 (Wiener) would impose even higher drug costs on patients, small businesses, and some unions.
The bill is so flawed, that it was changed to exempt some (Taft-Hartley) labor unions. But millions of non-union California workers remain on the hook for its higher prices in the version passed by the Legislature.
This raises concerns for the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Julian Ca帽ete, President and CEO of the California Hispanic Chamber, stated: 性视界传媒淲e wonder why the author would exempt Taft-Hartley unions but not all unions 性视界传媒 or even all workers 性视界传媒 without acknowledging the impact this legislation would have on the thousands of Latino businesses and individuals that rely on pharmacy networks and services.性视界传媒
Supporters of SB 966 claim that this legislation is designed to control drug costs. In reality, SB 966 does nothing to benefit patients and would lead to higher costs at the pharmacy counter for us Californians.
There are estimates from the state that this legislation could cost millions of taxpayer dollars annually for the California Department of Insurance to regulate this new, unnecessary framework. Hiding behind the wording of SB 966 are fabulous rewards for the very companies who are driving costs higher every day while reaping record profits: big pharmaceutical manufacturers.
SB 966 would increase health care costs for millions of people across the state, harm working families and employers, and hand a massive financial victory to giant pharmaceutical companies.
Governor Newsom, stick with us, not Big Pharma: veto this misguided bill.
Raoul Lowery Contreras is a former United States Marine, an author and newspaper columnist, a political consultant and hosts the Contreras Report on YouTube, ROKU television and Amazon性视界传媒檚 Firestick.
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