Connecticut’s Comptroller Kevin Lembo says Connecticut could save $70 million just by combining the medicine that different agencies negotiate independently.
However, speaking on the Watchdog News Hour last night, Lembo said small independent pharmacies oppose that cost saving measure because it will mean less money for them and possibly put some firms living close to the edge out of businesses.
Much more could be saved if all the state agencies had one agency negotiate health insurance for all those covered by state and municipal employes and Medicaid, instead of having each agency negotiate for their smaller groups.
Again there would be winners and losers, insurance companies would make less money, but then taxpayers would benefit.
You can watch his hour-long interview here with Lembo who was Connecticut’s first Healthcare Advocate.
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It’s very sad to put small businesses out of work, but spending less on health care means lots of businesses have to make less money — medical device and equipment makers, pharmaceuticals, labs, hospitals, doctors, insurers, insurance agents…sorry, we can’t support you all in the style to which you’ve become accustomed.
Unfortunately you are right. There is no reason that government (you and I) should support any business that can’t make it in the marketplace – that includes small package stores and newspapers.
Good show, George. Kevin’s always entertaining and informative and you got a lot of analysis out of him.