Content about Andrew Cuomo

January 14, 2013
East Coast reeling from flu, bug begins making its trek west

The worst of the flu season may be over, at least for those on the East Coast. In a late morning press conference with reporters on Friday, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We are seeing a decrease in some regions."

Just don't tell that to anyone living in New York or Boston or Chicago, at least not before slipping on a facemask first.

ATLANTA — The worst of the flu season may be over, at least for those on the East Coast. In a late morning press conference with reporters on Friday, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We are seeing a decrease in some regions." 

Just don't tell that to anyone living in New York, Boston or Chicago, at least not before slipping on a facemask first.  

December 20, 2012
Walgreens donates $100K to New York, New Jersey hurricane relief funds

Walgreens on Thursday announced $100,000 in additional donations to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The company, which includes Duane Reade in New York and New Jersey, is making two $50,000 contributions.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday announced $100,000 in additional donations to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The company, which includes Duane Reade in New York and New Jersey, is making two $50,000 contributions, one to the Empire State Relief Fund announced by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and the other to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund established by Gov. Chris Christie.

November 28, 2012
New York Gov. Cuomo visits PharmaSmart

Kiosk manufacturer PharmaSmart got a visit from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tuesday as he visited companies that his administration sees as leading the way in the state's economic development.

NEW YORK — Kiosk manufacturer PharmaSmart got a visit from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tuesday as he visited companies that his administration sees as leading the way in the state's economic development.

PharmaSmart was one of two companies in the Rochester, N.Y., area and one of 20 in the state overall to become part of Cuomo's Empire State Development Program.

November 14, 2012
Rite Aid donates additional $100,000 to hurricane-relief efforts

Rite Aid is donating $100,000 to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in addition to what it has donated already, the retail pharmacy chain said.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is donating $100,000 to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in addition to what it has donated already, the retail pharmacy chain said.

Rite Aid announced that it would donate $50,000 each to the Empire State Relief Fund, established by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and the New Jersey Relief Fund, established by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. The chain already donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross' relief efforts in October.

July 16, 2012
Rx drug abuse rises in high school students

Several policy-makers and companies have sought ways to confront the problem of prescription drug abuse. Last month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a plan — calling it the first in the country — to create an all-
electronic registry that would enable doctors, pharmacists and law enforcement to track controlled substances to prevent excessive prescription and refill requests.

News broke last month that officials in the South American nation of Uruguay were planning to possibly legalize marijuana. Meanwhile, activists in Colorado have sought to legalize the drug in that state, while Chicago’s city council decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and reduced the penalty to a ticket.


June 11, 2012
N.Y. governor seeks to curb Rx drug abuse with new legislation

The state of New York is looking to become a national leader in curbing prescription drug abuse.

ALBANY, N.Y. — The state of New York is looking to become a national leader in curbing prescription drug abuse.

December 16, 2011
N.Y. pharmacies get what many have asked for: a level playing field vs. mail order

Retail pharmacy has long fought for a level playing field when competing with mail order, and that's what N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo handed them last week.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Retail pharmacy has long fought for a level playing field when competing with mail order, and that's what N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo handed them last week. No longer will patients be funneled into filling their prescriptions at the mail order pharmacy. And no longer will insurance companies be able to exempt patients from making the same co-payment as they do at retail. At least not in New York.

December 13, 2011
Reports: N.Y. Gov. Cuomo signs controversial mail-order pharmacy bill

New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill that would forbid health insurers from requiring plan members to order prescription drugs from mail-order pharmacies, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill that would forbid health insurers from requiring plan members to order prescription drugs from mail-order pharmacies, according to published reports. 

August 24, 2011
Pharmacists urge N.Y. governor to sign mail-order pharmacy bill

Pharmacists are urging New York governor Andrew Cuomo to give the green light to legislation that would prevent health insurers from requiring patients to receive their drugs via mail order, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — Pharmacists are urging New York governor Andrew Cuomo to give the green light to legislation that would prevent health insurers from requiring patients to receive their drugs via mail order, according to published reports.

According to the reports, local pharmacists said at a press conference that the bill would help stop losses of pharmacies and jobs.

August 15, 2011
Mail-order bill just scratches surface of future PBM market

This isn't just about mail order in New York state. This is about the future of the pharmacy benefit management market and what payers are more likely to spend their money on.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — This isn't just about mail order in New York state. This is about the future of the pharmacy benefit management market and what payers are more likely to spend their money on. It's about choice. And because of that, this is just another story in what has been a very busy news cycle on the PBM front, driven primarily by the anti-mandatory mail-order bill battle in New York, reactions to two contradictory studies on patients regarding mail order and adherence, and continued challenges to the proposed ESI-Medco merger.

August 9, 2011
N.Y. state mail-order bill would raise drug costs, reduce access, FTC says

A bill awaiting a signature or veto from New York governor Andrew Cuomo that would restrict home delivery of chronic medications has attracted criticism from the Federal Trade Commission and the pharmacy benefit manager lobby.

WASHINGTON — A bill awaiting a signature or veto from New York governor Andrew Cuomo that would restrict home delivery of chronic medications has attracted criticism from the Federal Trade Commission and the pharmacy benefit manager lobby.

In a letter to New York state Sen. James Seward responding to the senator's request for comments, the FTC said New York Assembly Bill 5502-B would harm consumers and raise the prices of drugs while reducing access to them.

February 25, 2011
PCMA applauds Cuomo's Medicaid proposal

In his 2011-2012 budget, New York governor Andrew Cuomo included a proposal to update New York’s Medicaid program. The announcement comes at the heels of New Jersey governor Chris Christie's motion to modernize the state's Medicaid plan.

WASHINGTON — In his 2011-2012 budget, New York governor Andrew Cuomo included a proposal to update New York’s Medicaid program. The announcement comes at the heels of New Jersey governor Chris Christie's motion to modernize the state's Medicaid plan.

Similarly to New Jersey's plan, Cuomo said New York's “Proposal to Redesign Medicaid” could save state taxpayers $350 million though 2015 by managing prescription drug benefits similarly to those in Medicare and private-sector programs.