Not Waiting for Feds, Some States Battle Rising Pharma Costs Head On

Some states are fighting the precipitous rise of prescription drugs and taking matters into its own hands, opting not to wait around for the federal government to act, CBS News reported.

California has a ballot initiative titled Proposition 61 that would ensure its agencies get the same discounts on drugs as the Veterans Administration.

Transparency legislation aimed at big pharma passed in Vermont and is being considered in six other states, including New York, North Carolina and Texas.

"This boils down to a fight over whether there should be greater role for government in regulating or negotiating drug prices," Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation told CBS News.

A KFF poll found that 77 percent of Americans think prescription drug costs are unreasonable.

"Prescription drug costs have emerged as a significant pocketbook concern for consumers, and states are looking to respond to that," Levitt told CBS.

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