Drug companies have been taking a lot of hits in the news lately. This is obviously of great concern to senior citizens, as the cost of drugs often makes up a big part of seniors’ budgets. Less expensive choices for prescription medications makes maintaining independence much more manageable.

It is discouraging to find out, that in addition to hiking prices as a tactic for surviving pending health care legislation, drug companies charge government programs for advertising costs.

Christopher Weaver, writing in NPR’s health blog “Shots,” indicates that a recent study indicates that drug companies are passing on advertising costs to taxpayer-funded health programs, such as Medicaid.

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The researchers suggest that companies passed much of those costs on to taxpayers by hiking the price they charge Medicaid programs for the drug. Twenty-seven Medicaid programs — which insure low-income people — spent an extra $200 million on the drug during the advertising campaign compared to what they were paying before the ads began rolling.

Be sure to click through to this report to see several sources for Weaver’s report on drug company shenanigans.

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