Posted on 11/06/2004 2:16:36 PM PST by Former Military Chick
WARREN, Mich. -- The city's 30,000 residents 65 or older have a new option when it comes to paying for their prescription drugs.
On Friday, Warren joined other municipalities across the state in offering free bus trips to Canada so senior citizens can buy cheaper prescription medicines.
Officials for Michigan's third-largest city said they expect residents will be able to save 40 to 70 per cent.
"Nobody should have to choose between whether to pay for food or for drugs," Mayor Mark Steenbergh told the Macomb Daily newspaper of Mount Clemens, Mich.. "Prescription medications are a necessity, not a luxury."
The city patterned the program on one started three years ago in Westland. Mich., that has been duplicated in Dearborn Heights, Mich..
Warren's move was another sign that prescription drug costs are forcing local governments to expand their role beyond the traditional ones of public safety and road maintenance, said Tom Oren, a spokesman for AARP Michigan.
"Local government is certainly getting involved," Oren told the Detroit Free Press. "They perceive it as another service to the community."
Warren will hold informational meetings this month before taking its first 42 senior citizens to Canada. Those who make the trip will get the option of ordering future drugs from a Windsor pharmacy by mail, making room for a different batch of seniors to make the trip three months later.
Although the trips will be free, the city will accept donations and look for sponsors to underwrite the cost because it was not included in the city's budget, said Henry Bowman, Warren parks and recreation director.
Seniors can buy drugs only for themselves, not for a spouse or relatives, and they can't buy more than a 90-day supply. They will have to submit their prescriptions to the city about a week before the trip so the medication will be ready when they arrive, Bowman said.
Apparently, many of the drugs in Canada are made in the Middle East.
While you greedy geezers are at it, just stay up in Canada!
Eventually, the US drug cos will have to charge them more or us less
Here we go again - drugs or dog food - it's all Bush's fault.
All major drug companies offer free or reduced drugs to seniors - all they have to do is call and enroll, I did it for my Dad and it is very easy.
I think we can improve this program by making the bus trips ONE WAY!
Got the sillies today?
This is an open site, more or less. And somebody will see your remark and post it all over the web: See how evil and nasty Republicans are. They want to banish your Grandmother and Grandfather to Canada because they need expensive drugs.
Unless of course your really mean it.
Now's that what I call some North American Free Trade.
My hubby's a Type2 Diabetic.
He takes about 6 different tablet varieties.
Even though hubby's almost 67, drugs are quite pricey at discounts for seniors.
Come to Arizona. We have bus tours too, but we get our meds even cheaper, from Mexico.
Pfzir offers discounted or free drugs - go to their website
Glaxo Smith Kline has an Orange Card
Lilly has an Answer Card
They offer discounts for their drugs so you may have to go to all to get what you need.
They all have websites.
If you need more help just private reply me.
1.The Canadian government subsidizes them, and
2.The US manufacturers recognize that Canada is a peripheral market one tenth the size of the US.
If enough US citizens go to Canada for drugs, the government there will run out of money and the US companies will abandon a peripheral market.
***While you greedy geezers are at it, just stay up in Canada!***
Whatsa matter? Did your Grandma cut off your allowance again?
I've seen seniors hand over as much as $2,000 a month for prescriptions. And some of them through no fault of their own, don't have much more than $24,000 a year. Please don't bother telling me that ALL these people spent every penny on themselves and now want YOU to pay for their prescriptions. People that age worked for $25 a week. How did you expect them to save enough to have $50,000 a year now?
This is an open site, more or less. And somebody will see your remark and post it all over the web: See how evil and nasty Republicans are. They want to banish your Grandmother and Grandfather to Canada because they need expensive drugs.
Unless of course your really mean it.
Welcome to Free Republic, I see that you are a Newb. This is a free site in that anyone can lurk and lots of them are liberals aka DUer's.
Now having said that I must ask if you are implying that Canada isn't the greatest place on earth to live now that the EEEEVIL Empire has cast a dark pall over all that is good for the next 4 years. Don't you want your grandparents to live in Nirvana or do you think they should suck off of the Canadian taxpayer.
I understand your frustration, but I do have some concerns.
The US does a lot of testing before a drug becomes legal and that you and I would be allowed to take.
While I feel certain that no American would get a raw deal, if they had we would have heard about it. But, in the end we are tossing our good money to the north country who in all honesty isn't quite on the same game page as the US is.
But, Bush has 4 years to make inroads on this subject.
Are you of the mind that these bus trips are a good idea?
As I said: all's fair in love, war, and shopping.
Spoken like a true girl. you wouldn't be blonde as well?
Unfortunately somebody ACTUALLY has to pay for these low cost drugs and that would be the Canadian taxpayer. So you think it is OK for your grandparents to fleece the Canadians so you don't have to take care of them?
Well, I DO know how the Canadian health care system works because my parents live there. They're US citizens, and they made sure to live as close as possible to the US border so they can go across when they need a doctor. Their Canadian friends can't afford private US insurance (my parents are taken care of because of the insurance from my father's former employer), and they all wish they could.
He probably does. An example of the "Logan's Run" type Conservative.
Bingo-- hubby lived there, so I have a first hand account. I try to get this point across to people I know, who just don't get it, but alas, they just don't WANT to get it. They want "free" health care, just like Canada, dontcha know?????
With the confiscatory taxes they pay, it certainly ISN'T free!
absolutely, but ya can't confuse 'em with the facts, now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.