Attorney Generals' offices press releases: on Health Care
Daniel Cameron:
Filed four lawsuits opposing vaccine mandates
When the Biden Administration issued vaccine mandates for large businesses, federal contractors, healthcare workers, and Head Start program workers and volunteers, Cameron led the charge by filing four separate lawsuits. In each suit, the Attorney
General challenged the Administration's unlawful attempts to force the vaccination of thousands of Kentuckians. ?The courts recognize the merits of the Attorney General's claims, and put on hold all four of the Biden Administration's mandates.
Source: KY Attorney General Press Release, "Government Overreach"
Sep 9, 2022
Ken Salazar:
Allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices
"Allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies-amazingly enough, expressly banned by Congress in last year's Medicare overhaul law," should also help drive
down the costs of prescription drugs in the near term," Salazar added. "The Department of Veterans Affairs has been able to successfully negotiate for lower drug prices."
Source: Attorney General's office Press Release, "Rx Drugs"
May 5, 2004
Ken Salazar:
Allow reimportation of prescription drugs
Attorney General Ken Salazar and 19 fellow attorneys general urged the federal government to take steps to allow for the safe importation of prescription drugs to help relieve the financial burden of millions of Americans and state governments as a
result of the explosive growth in the cost of prescription medications. "I support lifting the federal ban on importation of prescription drugs, as just one way to address the high cost of prescription drugs that Americans and their governments
are paying," Salazar said. "This is just one approach to doing so. I believe [we should additionally] explore any other ideas to allow the safe importation of prescription drugs."
Under the plan, licensed pharmacists and wholesalers could import drugs
from Canada. Importers would have to document the chain of custody using new technology to deter counterfeiters. Individuals could import 90-day supplies of medicine from Canada for personal use from Canadian pharmacies inspected and approved by the FDA.
Source: Attorney General's office Press Release, "Rx Drugs"
May 5, 2004
Martha Coakley:
Pushed Pfizer to pay $15M for Medicare fraud
Attorney General Coakley's Office reached an agreement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer, resolving allegations that the company engaged in improper marketing practices to promote the sales of a variety of its drugs. Under the terms of this landmar
settlement, Pfizer will pay $14,728,408 to the Massachusetts Medicaid Program, which provides funds for health care products and services to eligible low-income individuals, including people with disabilities, children and elder citizens. This is the
largest national settlement in history in a health care fraud matter [totaling $700M in 9 states]."This settlement sends a strong message to the pharmaceutical industry and to the broader healthcare community that illegal and improper practices will
not be tolerated," said Coakley. "State and federal prosecutors take very seriously their responsibility to police the Medicaid program, and we will continue to work together to identify and root out fraud and abuse in the health care industry."
Source: Attorney General Press release on website www.mass.gov
Sep 2, 2009
Martha Coakley:
Require drug manufacturers to disclose risks
Attorney General Coakley applauded the US Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Wyeth v. Levine. "The Supreme Court recognized the critical role that states play to ensure that drug manufacturers disclose risks promptly," said Coakley.The case involved
Diane Levine, who was given Wyeth's anti-nausea drug, Phenergan. In April 2000, Levine received Phenergan through the "IV Push" method, and the drug was mistakenly injected into an artery, causing injuries that led to the amputation of her right arm belo
the elbow. A jury awarded Levine $6.8 million, on grounds that Wyeth failed to provide adequate warnings about the IV Push method.
In the past year, AG Coakley's office has settled several state law consumer protection cases against pharmaceutical
companies, including a $58 million multistate case against Merck relating to painkiller Vioxx; a $62 million case against Eli Lilly relating to antipsychotic drug Zyprexa; and a $60 million case against Pfizer relating to anti-inflammatory drug Bextra.
Source: Attorney General Press release on website www.mass.gov
Mar 4, 2009
Shannon Liss-Riordan:
Will root out systemic racism in our health care system
Shannon will aggressively fight back against any attempts by other states to reach into Massachusetts and enforce their anti-choice laws here against people coming here for abortion services. She will use our strong consumer protection laws to expose
so-called crisis pregnancy centers for their manipulative and deceptive practices. Shannon will root out systemic racism in our health care system and address maternal health disparities impacting communities of color.
Source: Mass. 2022 Attorney General press release ShannonForAG.com
Sep 6, 2022
Shannon Liss-Riordan:
Shannon has been a longtime advocate of Medicare for All
Shannon has been a longtime advocate of Medicare for All and will support efforts to implement single-payer health care at the state level. She will use the powers of the Office to address consolidation and anti-competitive behaviors among large
health care systems that are driving up costs for patients. She will advocate for the expansion of community health centers to ensure access to quality health care. Shannon will also fight to ensure that nurses have safe and dignified working conditions.
Source: Mass. 2022 Attorney General press release ShannonForAG.com
Sep 6, 2022
Josh Stein:
Strengthen anti-discrimination protections under Obamacare
Stein supported the HHS proposed rule to strengthen anti-discrimination protections under the Affordable Care Act. "Discrimination in health care puts people's health and lives at risk," said Stein. "Preventing discrimination in health care not only
helps all people become healthier, it saves the taxpayer from having to pick up the tab of their care through our public health systems. I'm pleased that the federal government is taking steps to protect North Carolinians' care."
Source: NC Attorney General Press Release, "Prevent Discrimination"
Oct 4, 2022
Page last updated: Aug 04, 2024