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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Sunday, January 11, 2004
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January 11, 2004 marks the 40th anniversary of the first U.S. Surgeon General's report on smoking and health.
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Most States Fail to Make Grade in Tobacco Control Report
ST. LOUIS, MO, (PRNewswire) January 11, 2004 - While there were bright spots in 2003, the American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2003 report card clearly shows that most states are not taking the necessary measures to protect children and adults from the deadly effects of tobacco smoke.
The American Lung Association looked at laws on smoking in the workplace, cigarette taxes, youth access to tobacco and funding of smoking prevention programs. Sadly, most states failed to make the grade, and the fact remains that more than 440,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses each year.
In a statement, John K. Kirkwood, CEO and president of the American Lung Association asked "How many more preventable deaths must occur and how many more children must become addicted to cigarettes before we say enough?"
"This report highlights that tough laws save lives and protect our children. From Maine to California, we have the data to prove that funding comprehensive prevention programs, raising cigarette taxes, providing smokefree air and preventing the sale of cigarettes to children can dramatically reduce tobacco use and disease. The American Lung Association calls on governors and legislatures to stand up for public health, stand up for our children and support the solution," stated Kirkwood.
January 11 marks 40 years since the first U.S. Surgeon General's report linked smoking with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, lung cancer and other diseases, and the nation has made many gains in tobacco control. But the fight is not over. The American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2003 report card found:
- 38 states and the District of Columbia received an "F" in funding
tobacco prevention and control programs;
- 35 states and the District of Columbia received an "F" in smokefree air
laws;
- 13 states received an "F" in tobacco taxes; and
- 23 states received an "F" in laws limiting youth access to tobacco.
According to the American Lung Association report, these grades help illustrate why smoking costs the United States approximately $75 billion in direct medical costs and $82 billion in lost productivity each year.
The news is not all bad. Fifteen states throughout the country received an "A" for their laws in at least one of the four categories analyzed. Five states-California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine and Rhode Island-achieved "A" grades in two areas. Only New York received an "A" grade in three areas.
"We commend states for making progress in clearing tobacco smoke from the air and increasing cigarette taxes, but we need a comprehensive approach to address the harm tobacco causes," said Kirkwood. "State legislators and governors must act quickly to prevent the 1,200 deaths now occurring each day from tobacco-related illnesses."
The American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2003 report card analyzes individual states' actions five years after the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), through which the tobacco industry agreed to pay 46 states approximately $206 billion over 25 years, in recovery of the states' tobacco-related health care costs. Four states settled their tobacco lawsuits separately for a total of $40 billion over 25 years.
Programs in Nebraska, New Hampshire and Florida sustained huge funding cuts. Only six states -- Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine and Mississippi -- received an "A" for committing significant funds toward tobacco prevention and cessation. Arkansas, Maine and Mississippi received top marks for the second year in a row. Many states are allocating tobacco settlement funds to fill budget deficits and fund other programs.
Getting Out of Debt Is Top New Year's Resolution
ST. LOUIS, MO, (PRNewswire) January 11, 2004 - More than one quarter (28%) of all Americans say getting out of debt is their top New Year's resolution, closely followed (27%) by the perennial favorite of losing weight and exercising more, according to the Cambridge Consumer Credit Index.
In January 2003, losing weight and getting out of debt were tied at 29%. In January 2002, losing weight was the top resolution of 30% of Americans versus 28% whose first priority was reducing debt.
This year, 15% want to get a more secure or better job, up by 4 percentage points from 2003. 13% want to improve their personal relationships, up by two points from 2003. Only 7% plan to reduce drinking and smoking, down by 4 percentage points from last year.
"This is the first time in the history of the Cambridge Consumer Credit Index that more Americans say that reducing debt is a higher priority than losing weight or exercising more," stated Jordan Goodman, spokesperson/financial analyst for the Cambridge Consumer Credit Index.
"These results provide ample testimony to the increasingly heavy burden that debt is perceived to be by American consumers who continued to take on billions of dollars in additional credit in 2003. The large increase in a desire for more secure employment also shows that, despite many signs of economic growth, many Americans still do not feel secure in their jobs," Goodman stated.
According to Chris Viale, Chief Operating Officer, Cambridge Credit Counseling Corporation, "At the beginning of each new year we see an increase in calls from consumers seeking help in eliminating debt. It is reassuring to know that many people don't just resolve to improve their financial lives, but take the necessary steps to make it happen. At Cambridge Credit, we urge consumers to make debt reduction a top priority and include all of their debt obligations in the budget forecasts that they may be developing for 2004."
Settlement Returns Over $3 million to Missouri Medicaid Program
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, (SLFP.com) January 11, 2004 - The Missouri Medicaid program received $3,090,958 from Attorney General Jay Nixon as a result of a settlement Nixon, other state attorneys general and the federal government reached with drug manufacturer Bayer Corp.
The $242 million settlement was split between 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government, which jointly fund the Medicaid program. Nixon says Missouri received $7,156,135 total, $4,065,177 of which went to the federal government for its share of the stateÕs Medicaid funding.
"It is particularly gratifying to return this money to Missouri taxpayers now, at a time when state agencies face greater financial challenges in serving our citizens," Nixon said in a statement released by his office. "WeÕre going to continue to be aggressive in protecting the integrity of the Medicaid program, as this settlement demonstrates."
The states, the federal Department of Justice and the federal Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) contended that Bayer violated a federal Medicaid drug rebate statute requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to accurately report "best price" information. "Best price" is the lowest price that a manufacturer offers its products for sale to commercial purchasers. CMS uses this information to calculate rebates payable by the manufacturers to the state Medicaid programs under the statute.
The government contended that Bayer sold Cipro and Adalat CC to HMOs at deeply discounted prices and then concealed that fact by re-labeling or re-packaging these drugs under the HMOÕs private label. The practice Ñ referred to as "lick and stick" Ñ enabled Bayer to avoid paying additional rebates to the Medicaid program from 1995 to 2000.
As part of the agreement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General will require Bayer to certify its "best price" methodology in the future to ensure the proper rebates are paid.
On Dec. 23, Nixon presented the Missouri Medicaid program with a check for more than $1.1 million from a settlement with drug maker GlaxoSmithKline over similar "best price" allegations concerning Flonase and Paxil.
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