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Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly)
PFE 25.71+1.9%Nov 25 3:59 PM EST
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To: Anthony Wong who wrote (359)6/19/1998 12:20:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong  Read Replies (2) of 1722
 
STATE'S VIAGRA BILL: $3,641

From Tribune News Services
June 19, 1998

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA -- The
state's Medicaid program has spent $3,641
on Viagra since officials agreed this month
to pay for the drug that treats male
impotence.

Indiana Medicaid director Kathy Gifford
said the program also will reconsider claims
for $19,328 worth of pills, which were filed
before the state agreed to pay for them.

Demand for the popular new drug has taken
many states by surprise and forced officials
to weigh the importance of sex against other
public policy concerns.

No federal guidelines specify the number of
pills welfare recipients can receive, and
states that agree to pay disagree on how
much of the potency pill is enough.

"No one thinks this is a great thing for us to
be paying for," Gifford said. "For now, we'll
continue to pay for it as we investigate rule
changes."

Each pill from Pfizer Inc. costs about $10.

At least a dozen states are buying Viagra
for Medicaid recipients. In 1997, Indiana's
government-run health insurance program
had about 500,000 participants. Of those,
36 percent were male.

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chicago.tribune.com
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