Will Rendell Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs?

Governor Rendell announced a number of new proposals increasing the number of people in Adult Basic health care, shifting funds to help with mortgage assistance and home heating cost.

His final proposal is to create a website where residents can search for the lowest cost prescription. But what would help residents even more would be if government stopped requiring higher prices on prescription drugs.

That’s right, in Pennsylvania we have a longstanding law that requires drugstores to have higher prices than they otherwise would. Wal-mart, for instance, has a number of prescription drugs they sell for $4 for a monthly supply in other states, but have to sell for $9 in Pennsylvania (along with $9 drugs that cost $25 in PA).

The Senate Republicans have included repealing this law as one of the health care reforms. Will Rendell sign on?