This week’s Weekly Radio Addresses from Wisconsin’s Capitol touch on the capital budget and lowering prescription drug prices. These addresses are available for Wisconsin broadcasters to use as they see fit. Here are the summaries from WisPolitics:
— In this week’s Dem radio address, Gov. Tony Evers spoke on the capital budget and how his Badger Bounceback agenda will help Wisconsinites recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evers said the Badger Bounceback agenda, which includes the proposed capital budget, would make significant investments in state infrastructure across Wisconsin, including $2.38 billion for 29,000 family-supporting jobs, investments in UW system campuses, protection for state parks and forests and care of veterans residing at Veterans Homes.
Thirty-one of Wisconsin’s 72 counties will experience economic benefits as a result of projects included in the budget.
“As we work to recover from this pandemic, these investments will be critically important in helping our economy and our state bounce back from this pandemic stronger than we were before this pandemic hit,” Evers said.
Listen to the address:
https://soundcloud.com/evers-barnes-admin/gov-tony-evers-address-march-18-2021
— In the GOP address, state Rep. Michael Schraa discussed how a bill that passed the Assembly this week may lead to lower prescription drug prices.
The Oshkosh Republican explained the bill would create more transparency into how pharmacy benefit managers operate, and therefore increase accountability.
“The law eliminates the use of so-called ‘gag clauses’ that prohibit pharmacists from
communicating that a medicine could be cheaper with a cash payment instead of going through
insurance,” he said. “The bill also guarantees consumers won’t pay a higher share cost than the cash price.”
In addition, the bill stipulates that consumers must be notified 60 days in advance if a medication is no longer available to ensure ample time for them to go through a grievance process.
“These much-needed reforms will help put drug price protections in place and hopefully, generate better health outcomes,” Schraa stated.
Listen to the address: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/eupdates/asm63/Schraa_Radio_3.18.21.mp3
Find the archive of weekly addresses, organized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, by going to: https://www.wi-broadcasters.org/for-the-public/weekly-addresses-archive/
