By Bob Katzen
The House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy) said the House will not include in its budget proposal Gov. Healey’s plan to add new taxes on prescription drugs. Mariano told pharmaceutical leaders at MassBio’s “State of Possible” conference that the House would drop this tax idea that Healey included in her $62 billion annual budget bill in January. He also indicated to reporters after his speech that the House would likely not pursue Healey’s idea to apply the state’s sales tax to candy.
Healey’s budget sought a new tax on prescription drug manufacturers for excessive price increases. The Healey administration estimated it could generate $60 million for the state. Her bill would also reestablish a pharmacy assessment on prescription drugs sold in Massachusetts, where pharmacies would be charged 6 percent per prescription or $2, whichever is less. The estimated $145 million generated from the new charge would have paid for the costly MassHealth program.
“I’m not a doctor … but I subscribe to the Hippocratic Oath,” said Mariano. “I do no harm, first. That’s why in our House budget coming out, we won’t include any taxes on prescription drugs in our budget. That means no arbitrary taxes tied to a drug’s list price, or on our consumers filling prescriptions. We’re concerned about competitiveness and people residing and staying in Massachusetts, and adding two dollars to a prescription just based on the fact that you have to have a prescription — it was not something we wanted to do. It’s the wrong message.”