Movers & Shakers May 29, 2010
American Heroes Parade applications due
The Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July Festival Committee now has parade application packets available for the Fourth of July Parade through downtown. They can be obtained at the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce office at 105 N. First St. or by contacting Brenda Young at 415-0110.
In addition to the parade, festival activities will include the Sherman Mile Fun Run, food and craft booths and music in the city park throughout the day, concluding with a spectacular fireworks show at dusk.
The parade will begin at 11 a.m. on the Fourth and is sponsored by Sterling Savings Bank. The Fourth of July Festival Sponsor is Knudtsen Chevrolet and the Park activities sponsor is the Coeur d'Alene Casino. Deadline for parade applications is June 18. Applications for vendor booths in the park are also available at the chamber.
For additional information, please contact the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce at (877) 782-9232 or 415-0110 or e-mail to brenda@cdachamber.com.
Wasden obtains $1.2M in drug settlement
Two prescription drug manufacturers will pay Idaho more than $1.2 million in a legal settlement resolving Idaho's claims relating to their reporting of "average wholesale price," Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said.
Idaho Medicaid provides health care services, including prescription drugs, to low-income Idahoans. By law, Idaho Medicaid must reimburse pharmacies and hospitals at the "estimated acquisition cost" of the drug. Idaho Medicaid primarily uses "average wholesale prices," as reported by drug manufacturers, as a basis for determining this amount.
Wasden's settlement with Alpharma USPD Inc. and Purepac Pharmaceutical Co., now known as Actavis MidAtlantic LLC and Actavis Elizabeth, LLC, has been submitted for approval by the Fourth District Court in Ada County. The companies admitted no liability or wrongdoing.
"Where published prices are false or misleading, the taxpayers are significantly harmed by excessive Medicaid reimbursements," Wasden said. "This settlement reimburses unfair costs to Idaho taxpayers."
If the manufacturer reports an inflated or false average wholesale price for a drug, taxpayers can pay too much for that drug through Medicaid reimbursements. "Investigation by my office has revealed that the reported average wholesale price often is not related to the actual wholesale price paid for the drug and that reporting of inflated wholesale prices by drug manufacturers is prevalent in the industry," Attorney General Wasden said.
Since 2005, Wasden has resolved five average wholesale price cases with drug manufacturers, including this settlement, resulting in more than $5.1 million recovered for Idaho taxpayers. Three average wholesale price cases, naming approximately 29 other drug manufacturers, are still pending.
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