Healthcare Generics
Healthcare Generics Prove a Safe and More Affordable Alternative Anti-union politicians want to cut your pay. AS HEALTHCARE COSTS are continuing to rise, generic drugs offer a path to help save families money. Did you know that choosing generic drugs can save you and your Operating Engineer health & welfare funds 80- 85% in costs compared to a brand name drugs? What is a generic drug? A generic drug is a lower-cost version of a brandname. A brand-name drug and its generic version must have the same active ingredient, dosage, safety, strength, usage directions, quality, performance and intended use. It’s important to know that according to the Food & Drug Administration, generic drugs must meet the same high standards as a brand-name to be approved and can be trusted to have the same level of quality. Generic drug maker’s costs are less since the product has already been researched, tested and developed by the brand name company. Brandname drugs have higher initial costs to develop, market, and sell. It’s estimated to cost .6 billion to develop and win marketing approval for a new brand name drug. What is the difference? The only part that can differ in generic drugs is the inactive ingredients, although, they must be considered safe by the FDA. For example, inactive ingredients can be dyes, binding materials, flavoring or preservatives (making the pill look different). Generic drugs may also have a different expiration date than brandname drugs. But even so, the generic must keep its effectiveness until its expiration date, just like a brand-name product. The makers of generic drugs can pass the savings along in the form of lower prices to you and your health & welfare fund. In summary, when choosing your prescriptions, ask your physician or pharmacist about a generic prescription and if it’s right for you! Who’s taking your pills? 1 in 4 American teens has misused or abused prescription drugs. Most get them from the family medicine cabinet. Help stop prescription drug abuse. Drop off your expired, unused or unwanted medications for safe disposal. Crony capitalists and their friends in Washington keep attacking the prevailing wage laws that protect Operating Engineers. We can’t afford to let them win. Taxpayer money should support skilled workers, not greedy contractors. The Davis-Bacon Act requires that workers on government funded projects be paid equal to local prevailing wages for similar work so tax dollars aren’t used to undercut workers’ pay. Repealing Davis-Bacon means more workplace injuries and fatalities. Untrained, low-paid workers mean unsafe working conditions, which lead to more injuries and fatalities. epi.org/publication/bp215 The federal government sets prevailing wage rates, not unions. The prevailing wage rate is determined by a survey of all local construction wages conducted by the US Department of Labor. Prevailing wage does not raise the cost of construction. Workers paid a decent wage are more productive. Studies show that cuts in wages can actually raise the cost of construction projects. faircontracting.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Wage differential-method-critique-Duncan-2016-1.pdf OE17-010 Find a Drop Box Location Near You https://www.cvs.com/content/safercommunities-locate ‡2015 Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey by The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Tell your Members of Congress to oppose any efforts to weaken the Davis-Bacon Act. Call today: (202) 224-3121 12 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER WINTER 2018 13
