MA consumers could soon get drug discounts
Massachusetts is on the verge of joining the country's 49 other states in allowing pharmaceutical companies to offer consumers discounts to pay for expensive brand-name prescription drugs.
Legislation to allow for such co-payment discounts, sometimes referred to as coupons, has passed in both the House and Senate, and just needs final approval from both branches before being sent to Gov. Deval Patrick.
Supporters of the legislation say co-payment discounts would allow more consumers to have access to the expensive brand-name prescription drugs they need.
But opponents, including some consumer advocacy health care groups, call co-payment discounts a marketing ploy by pharmaceutical companies to increase their profits.
