Bowing to industry pressure, Massachusetts lawmakers on Monday approved a compromise measure that is designed to lower prescription drug spending for the state Medicaid program, although consumer advocates maintain the diluted effort may still achieve its goals.
The initial proposal from Gov. Charlie Baker sought to negotiate supplemental rebates for Medicaid and potentially cite drug makers for violating consumer protection laws for failing to cooperate, a step that generated significant interest from other states seeking solutions to high drug costs. But the final version contains language that notably softens the original approach.
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