4 4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, May 2, 2006 Healthy, wealthy and wise University plan for free co-pays a sensible solution JEREMY DAVSON Editor in Chief IMRAN SaED Editorial Page Editor JEFFREY BLOOMER Managing Editor Given the exorbitant prices of prescrip- tion drugs in our country, it's encour- aging to see institutions like the University stepping up to make a difference. Last week, the University announced a program called MHealthy: Focus on Dia- betes to provide free co-pays for diabetes related medication for its employees. The plan will reduce the co-pays of brand-name drugs and eliminate them completely for generic medication for University facul- ty, staff and dependents who have diabe- tes. With this innovative program, which was crafted based on research findings of University faculty, the University sets a laudable precedent for healthcare benefit policies in America, but it must continue to monitor, and if deemed prudent, expand the program to cover other illnesses. MHealthy reflects a positive change in the University's outlook on prescription drug coverage, which has evolved signifi- cantly over the last six years. In Sept. 2000, the University increased co-pays because the University Benefits Office estimated that such action would result in long-term savings of $1.7 million per year. However, a year later, University researchers published a study stating that increased drug co-pays lead insured healthcare consumers with chronic condi- tions to deviate from their medication regi- ment - putting them at a greater risk of more serious illnesses and requiring more expensive treatment later on. Likewise, researchers suggested "benefit-based co- pays" --reducing the co-pays for prescrip- tion drugs consumed by those with chronic conditions - as an economically efficient way to reduce long-term healthcare expen- ditures and a means to encourage Ameri- cans to maintain their health. The University's commitment to fol- low up on the recommendations of these researchers is a step that keeps the health interests ofemployeesparamount while still saving money in the long run. The decision to use diabetes as a testing ground for this plan is a sensible one, given that 50 percent of diabetic patients avoid or delay purchase of drugs such as insulin, ACE inhibitors, statins and antidepressants because of cost restraints - thereby significantly increas- ing their risk of more serious health issues. If the results of the pilot program have the intended economic and social results, the University must move quickly to expand the program to include employees with other chronic diseases, such as asthma and heart disease. As commendable and groundbreaking as this plan is, the University must ensure that its efforts to monitor the effects of the pro- gram are kept up to date. If all goes accord- ing to plan, the term "Michigan Difference" can take on a whole new meaning. EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 420 MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their author. The thumbs have it The pope wears Prada - Remember all that talk about Pope Benedict XVI not having as much substance as his predecessor John Paul II? Well, at least we know he's got style. The new pon- tiff - who has previously sported Serengeti sunglasses and even owns an iPod - was recently spotted in red loafers rumored to be made by Prada. A pontiff who likes his bling? Come all ye faithful to "the hip-hop pope." (And how about Prada, which has now completed the canonical cycle, having earlier landed Satan himself ("The Devil Wears Prada," in theaters this June)?) It's just a game - Several teams representing the offices of Re- publican senators and congressmen recently seceded from the Con- gressional Softball League. The dissidents started a rival league, complaining that the new playoff system in the old league - which matched top teams against each other in early rounds - bordered on socialism. Remember guys, if we can't even keep our softball leagues together, the terrorists have won. The slippery Mr. Copperfield - A gun pointed right at his face in a mugging attempt in West Palm Beach, Fla., renowned illusionist David Copperfield tricked the bad guys by calmly turning out empty pockets - despite the fact that they contained his wallet, passport and cell phone. Amazing as that is, it's elementary sleight of hand to the man who once made the Statue of Liberty disappear. Hey DPS, given the recent string of street crimes in Ann Arbor, how about get- ting him to teach that snappy trick to students? Turn back the clock - Former New York Mets first baseman and 11-time Gold Glove winner Keith Hernandez made his name by not making errors, but he committed a major gaffe while providing color commentary for a recent Mets game. Upon seeing a female trainer in the San Diego Padres dugout, Hernandez spat out a chauvinist rant: "Who is the girl in the dugout, with the long hair? What's going on here? You have got to be kidding me!" Now here's a guy who takes his endorsement of "Just for Men" hair color a little too seriously. Wake up, Keith: it's 2006. Editorial Board Members: Emily Beam, Jared Goldberg, Theresa Kennelly, Mark Kuehn, Rajiv Prabhakar, David Russell, Gavin Stern, Ben Taylor, Christopher Zbrozek. 4 I 4 Slipping on oil President's proposals fail to address root of problems 4 Since Sept. 11, 2001 there has been increasing pressure on America to wean its dependence on oil. President Bush, speaking last week at a conference of etha- nol producers, outlined several strategies to lower skyrocketing prices at the pump. While acknowledging an addiction to oil is a neces- sary first step, the president's proposals fail to take into account the underlying reasons for the oil crisis, and more must be done to reduce dependence of oil in the long term. Bush's proposals to increase oil supply and lower prices include loosening environ- mental regulations on oil companies, drill- ing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a crackdown on price gouging at the pumps. The president went so far as to call individual state regulations on purity of oil "boutique," while advocating loosening them for short-term benefits. Environmental regulations exist because they are necessary to curb pollution, not to simply be loosened when convenient. Lowering standards of regulation allows oil companies more lib- erty to pollute without providing any long- term solution to energy shortfalls. The same could be said for drilling in the ANWR; it is a short-term solution that fails to foresee the full scope of future problems. An additional flaw in the proposals is that they target individual pumps and divert atten- tion away from oil companies - the real source of increases in the price of oil. Except in times of immediate crisis, price gouging by gas stations is virtually non-existent. A few Republican senators have joined their Dem- ocratic counterparts in recognizing that the problem lies with oil companies. As a result of record profits for big oil, they suggest a crack- down, some even going so far as to propose taxes on these ever-increasing earnings. The best way for our country to rid itself of its addiction to petroleum does not lie in stopgap proposals that result in min- ute increases in the oil supply. Indeed the administration tried many of these same policies in response to reduced supply after Hurricane Katrina, and they proved inef- fective. Policies should focus on conserva- tion and pursue renewable fuel sources, not simply increase supply temporarily. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested that his state pursue alternative energy sources, such as fuel run on ethanol produced by corn or sugar. Brazil recently announced that, by switching to ethanol, it will be completely energy independent by 2010. While America uses far more oil than Brazil or California, it can implement simi- lar policies effectively. Bush's latest proposals continue the trend of diverting attention away from where the problems really lie while putting the envi- ronment at risk. The president would do well to remember that, especially for an addict, more oil is not the solution. 0 LIVE ON YOUR FEET ION QOUIST I A PERtaS AND ASIAN 1 LU TIM TTEATENS TO CREATE II3ITED STATES. A C MPANMC MJRICAN T L TH T CO KILL S St I NTtBE PREPAREDI WE CORNER_ I T 5 ONE TITSO TDO-