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To: Anthony Wong who wrote (456)	7/3/1998 3:14:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

Activists seek Viagra in health plans Thursday July 2 6:36 PM EDT SACRAMENTO, July 2 (UPI) - Legislators and health activists have asked the California Department of Corporations to investigate health plan coverage of Viagra, the new male impotence drug. Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara, and other lawmakers told Capitol reporters today that the department should find out why Kaiser, Aetna USHealthcare and others don't cover Viagra to treat sexual dysfunction. Vasconcellos said the department can fine them, demand coverage or lift their licenses if they refuse. Proponents who joined him at the news conference said insurers shouldn't be required to provide Viagra to anyone who asks, but only to those who suffer from serious problems like prostate cancer and spinal cord injuries. Insurers say the high cost of Viagra at $8 to $10 per pill could cause preimums to skyrocket if they're forced to provide it. The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation recently released a national survey showing that 49 percent of Americans believe the drug should be included in HMO prescription plans, 40 percent say it shouldn't be covered, and 11 percent have no opinion. Copyright 1998 by United Press International. All rights reserved. dailynews.yahoo.com

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (456)	7/3/1998 3:21:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

July 3 1:59 AM EDT Medicaid must pay for Viagra, government says By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The federal government has ordered states to pay for Viagra prescriptions under the Medicaid program. The Health and Human Services (HHS) Department Thursday said the law requires Medicaid to pay for all drugs prescribed for medical reasons -- and said the blockbuster anti-impotence drug clearly came under that category when prescribed properly by a doctor. Some states have argued that Viagra could cost Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor, a lot of money. Too bad, says the HHS. "The law requires that a state's Medicaid program cover Viagra when medical necessity dictates such coverage for the drug's medically accepted indication," Nancy-Ann DeParle, administrator of the HHS's Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), wrote in a letter to Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, Utah Gov. Michael Leavitt and the National Governor's Association. Leavitt and Chiles are the lead governors on Medicaid for the association. The letter said there were exceptions, but Viagra was not one of them -- unless the state suspected it was being misused or prescribed improperly. "The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved Viagra only to treat erectile dysfunction in men," DeParle wrote. "Viagra does not fall within any of the allowable exclusions or restrictions," she added. The reaction was quick and outraged. "This administration is making a substantial, premature and unilateral policy decision without the benefit of consultation with the states," Jennifer Baxendell, head of health legislation for the National Governor's Association, said in a statement. "This announcement preempts state authority to determine what is appropriate for their unique populations, increases state costs, and hampers their ability to run state Medicaid programs," the statement added. "Preliminary estimates indicate that a nationwide mandate for coverage of Viagra through Medicaid would cost the states and the federal government more than $100 million each year. In the months since this drug has been widely available, it has become the most popular prescription product in history." This is no exaggeration. Pfizer, which makes Viagra, says more than a million prescriptions have been written since it hit the market in April. Viagra costs between $7 and $10 a dose. DeParle had some comfort for the states. "It is important to remember that 90 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries are women and children," she wrote. "Because only about 10 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries are adult males, my understanding is that the number of Medicaid beneficiaries that could be diagnosed with erectile dysfunction is very small." She said HHS was worried Viagra could be misused, and would monitor carefully to see if it was. There have been reports of men taking the drug to enhance normal sexual performance. She urged all states to make sure that Medicaid only pays for Viagra when it is indeed medically necessary. Steps could include making sure doctors diagnose impotence and prescribe the drug properly, make sure it goes only to those men who are supposed to get it, and perhaps even a limit to refills. In a separate notice, HCFA said states could "ensure the appropriate use" of Viagra. "States mayrequire proper authorization reviews before they pay for Viagra prescriptions, conduct medical reviews, limit the maximum quantities per prescriptions and/or limit the number of refills," it said. dailynews.yahoo.com

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (456)	7/3/1998 3:28:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1722

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Eighteen people were arrested for selling fake Viagra pills in Venezuela after nearly 100 men became sick from taking the phony medicine, police said Thursday. The street vendors and store owners were arrested during sweeps of downtown Caracas this past week. Authorities began the raids after receiving nearly 300 complaints from men who said they bought pills marketed as the anti-impotency pill, an illegal drug in Venezuela. Police also raided pharmacies and health stores that allegedly were selling Viagra that was smuggled into the country. Jul 02 8:16 PM EDT dailynews.yahoo.com