The Senate Commerce committee debated a health care bill sponsored by one of its own.
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The Senate Commerce committee debated a health care bill sponsored by one of its own.

Date: March 16, 2010
By: Scott Kanowsky
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  Representatives from health care companies attacked a bill in the Senate Commerce committee.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A bill going through the committee would prevent insurance companies from changing doctors prescriptions.

Health care businesses from Missouri voiced their opposition to the bill.

Opponent Michael Herald addressed concerns about customers forced to take different medications; a process called "step therapy." 

Actuality:  HERAL.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "But at the end of the day, it isn't a question of whether they can be on the drug, it's going to be question of whether the plan sponsor is going to pay for it or not. And we've been able to use step therapy to save our clients a lot of money and people have been able to have their drugs and take them safely."
 
Another opponent called criticism of step therapy "frankly absurd."

The committee took no action on the bill.

From the State Capitol, I'm Scott Kanowsky.

Intro:  A Columbia Senator pushed for a bill placing restrictions on health care companies.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap:

Columbia Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer used his son's illness to pitch a bill to the Senate Commerce committee Tuesday.

 

Actuality:  SOB.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "This is what happened with us and this is what happened very, very frequently: We just paid for it out of pocket, we just 'To hell with this, we'll just buy it.' I mean, he's six years old, he has acid reflux, we're not waiting two to three weeks to get this thing resolved. And we did, we bought it."

Schaefer's bill stop health care providers from changing doctors prescriptions.

In particular, the bill would prevent these businesses from forcing customers to switch medications--a process called "step therapy."

Health care company representative David Rouch hit back at Schaefer, calling criticism of step therapy "frankly absurd."

The committee took no action on the bill.

From the State Capitol, I'm Scott Kanowsky.