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Show 1 NEWS Medicaid changes could benefit U Friday, September 28,2007 i ^ www.dailyutahchronide.com — Lana Groves STAFF WRITER The University Hospital could benefit from a potential change to the Medicaid drug-pricing program that would allow the state to require more patients to get their drugs from the U. As a 340B reduced-drug-cost program provider, the U treats many hemophilia and bleeding disorder patients eligible for reduced-cost prescriptions through Medicaid. Through a waiver from the federal government, the Utah Department of Health sends Medicaid patients to the U Hospital to decrease costs. Utah lawmakers want to expand the program, so the U will be responsible — • for distributing drugs to patients with problems other than blood disorders. "Because more hemophilia patients are being moved to the University of Utah hospital, we do gain from the 340B program overall," said Jim Jorgenson, director of the U's pharmacy services. The program was started in 1992 with the Veterans Health Care Act and has saved Utah millions of dollars, because the drugs can be distributed through a state-approved hospital rather than sending rebates to drug companies, Jorgenson said. "When a Medicaid patient goes to the average corner pharmacy, the state pays the pharmacy and waits for rebates from the drug company which can be delayed or mistaken, costing the state millions of dollars," he said. In an effort to reduce costs, the federal government granted the state its current waiver for blood disorder patients more than 10 years ago, requiring patients to buy drugs from providers such as the U pharmacy. "This waiver is great for us," said Tim Morley, the drug utilization review program manager for the 340B system. "But we have to be careful working with rebates through regular pharmacies and the 340B drug providers—mistakes can be accidentally made," he said. Increases in Medicaid costs have urged Utah legislators to find ways to save money with the program. The Medicaid waivers The issue: State lawmakers want to require more patients in the Medicaid reduced drug cost program to get their drugs from the University Hospital. The state only has a wavier to send patients with blood disorders to the U pharmacy, but legislators want the hospital to be a drug provider for Medicaid patients with a variety of illnesses. See MEDICAID Page 3 Keep on Christian students converse pedalin Bike collective provides cyclists with safety info Jonathan Long STAFF WRITER Each Thursday, a group of students, some of them from the U, meet in a coffee shop-themed room in the back of a church to ask questions and discuss important issues surrounding religion. The meetings are hosted by the Campus Crusade for Christ, a campus group that works to provide a place for students to feel welcomed to come and talk about religion. "(We) create an atmosphere where anyone can come in and feel comfortable to ask tough questions about God and life," said Chaz Moder, a 22-year-old business major and former U student, who is now attending Westminster College. Moder has been involved with the group referred to as the "CRU" Clayton Norlen STAFF WRITER After a bike tire blowout left a student with a broken leg last week, the U Bicycle Collective said it is gearing up to provide students and faculty around campus with information about bicycle safety. Every Monday and Wednesday from 10:45 a - m - t o 1:45 p.m. on the Union Plaza the collective offers basic maintenance instruction and the necessary tools for students to ensure their bikes are in rideable condition. In addition, the collective serves to provide students with tips they need to become safe and street-smart commuters. In the past month, the U has seen a series of bicycle-related accidents across campus. Justin Faust, a senior in computer science, broke his leg when the front tire of his bike blew out between the Union and the University Campus Store on Sept. 17 and an unidentified biker collided with a UTA TRAX train as it was approaching the South Cam-1 pus TRAX stop on Aug. 29. "We'd like to provide safety classes to teach students practical skills for defensive riding, and as soon as we see more of a demand we could do that," said Jon Wilkey, co-director of the collective. The U's policy for operating bicycles on campus states that no person riding a bike shall exceed a speed greater than 10 mph and shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at all times and exercise due care to prevent injuries to themselves and others. "Cycling's not an all-or-nothing proposition," Wilkey said. "People sometimes hesitate because they see it that way, but you don't have to ride your bike every day. Take pub- See RELIGION Page 3 If you go... > What: Campus Crusade for Christ ;.- discussion group >. When: Every Thursday at 7 p.m. "•> Where: Capital Church (1010 E. 700 -.. South) ' > Who: Open to all U students ; The group also provides shuttles to ••. and from its meeting house and the ; s Residence Hails. Private prisons Study finds no advantage over public facilities Arthur Raymond STAFF WRITER U social work professor Brad Lundahl submitted research findings to a Utah law enforcement committee at the state capitol comparing private and public prison facilities on Sept. 19. The Utah Criminal Justice Center at the S.J. Quinney College of Law conducted the study which indicated that no clear advantage was apparent in the comparison of prison operations. Lundahl's presentation outlined the study's parameters, evaluating each of the approaches for advantages and disadvantages in cost effectiveness and quality of confinement issues. In a discussion following Lundahl's presentation, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee co-chair Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden, made note of the anticipated prison capacity issues created by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. The Adam Walsh Act was signed into law by President George Bush in 2006. The legislation made changes to how sex offenders are classified, and its new stricter requirements are expected to result in a higher incarceration rate for offenders. See PRISONS Page 3 Why: Lawmakers say providing Medicaid. prescriptions through hospitals is cheaper than using outside pharmacies and drug companies. Jon Wilkey, a juniorstudying chemical engineering, shows how to install an LED light on a bicycle in a U Bike Collective meeting.The collective teaches students how to fix bicycles at the Union Plaza on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m." See BIKE Page 4 Societal classes matter to department of social work Clayton Norlen STAFF WRITER Professor Cris Cullinan said equality doesn't exist in America's current class system where poverty is ignored. "We're creating a plutocracy in the United States where only the top 20 percent of the population can get anywhere," said Cullinan, a professor at the University of Oregon. "We're creating a system where threefourths of the population aren't able to attend higher education." Cullinan made her remarks dur- Lecture series > Knowing Your History Part II: Yours, Mine and More > Yellow: Asians in America Oct. 24,2007 > Refugees:When you can't go home Jan. 28,2008 > American Indians: How the West was really won Feb. 25,2008 All lectures are free and open to the public and will be held in the Social Work Auditorium at 2 p.m. ing a lecture titled "Have you got Class?" held in the College of Social Work Auditorium on Sept. 24. The lecture was the first in a series titled "Knowing History Part II: Yours, Mine and More" aimed at creating an awareness and understanding of individual perspectives in all parts of Utah's communities. At the beginning of the lecture, Cullinan divided the audience into groups of five, representative of the current income class system in the United States. She described the different status and quality of life each group could hope to enjoy and the average home income for each. She repeatedly returned the division of the audience to illustrate the divide that she claims is crippling America. Cullinan cited statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau that divides the average income for U.S. household income units into five groups. In 2001 the lowest 20 percent of Americans made an average of $10,136 per year and the top-v2o percent made $145,970, not including assets. "Today the biggest indicator that you'll graduate from college is if your parents graduated from college, particularly your mother. And that is a class system," Cullinan said. "In many cases, it's easier for us to Michael Timberlake, chair of the believe that you get what your work department of sociology, and Jason for, but in America if you're poor ' Castillo, a professor in the College and lazy, you're probably already of Social Work. dead." Questions from the crowd carried Panel discussion followed the lecture. Panelists included Cullinan, 5ee CLASS Page 4 CAMERON STRICKLAND/J*f [idly Utah0>r«nklt Or. Cris Cullinan, from the University of Oregon, speaks in a panel discussion about social classes in America for the Diversity and Social Justice Series on Monday in the Social Work Auditorium. |