Bernie Sanders Urges Californians To Pass Prop 61
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders brought a different kind of campaign to downtown Los Angeles Monday.
This time the former presidential hopeful is encouraging California voters to pass prop 61.
Sanders says it will cut prescription drug prices, opponents say it will do just the opposite.
"It looks like the people of California are prepared to put an end to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, thank you, California," Sanders said.
Sanders said the measure will not just save money on prescriptions in California, but will eventually impact states nationwide.
State agencies would be barred from paying more for any prescription drug than the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the same drug.
Prop. 61 backers say it will empower the state, as the healthcare buyer for millions of Californians, to negotiate a better deal for taxpayers, saving the state billions.
Opponents say the savings may not be significant depending on how the measure is implemented and the response of drug manufacturers.