Vermont Rx discount program goes live

The US state of Vermont's Pharmacy Discount Program went live January 1as planned, despite the lawsuit filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America against the Health Care Financing Administration, challenging the Medicaid law waiver granted by the HCFA to the state to allow the scheme to run (Marketletter December 18, 2000).

At January 1, about 300 applications from state residents to enrol in the program had been processed by the state Department of Human Services, which was continuing its efforts to enrol seniors and other state residents who lack prescription drug coverage, despite having heard that the court would be issuing an injunction order, according to Reuters reports. If such an injunction were made, "we obviously will respect it," said Department Commissioner Eileen Elliott.