Iowa joins Maine and Vermont in Rx drug pool

The mid-western US State of Iowa is to unite with the northeastern states of Maine and Vermont in a purchasing pool for prescription drugs for their Medicaid beneficiaries, according to an announcement by Iowa's Governor Tom Vilsack (Democrat).

Gov Vilsack, who is standing down after eight years in the position later this year, said: "together our group of states will achieve pharmaceutical rebates that will far exceed the amount that each state could provide on their own."

According to 2005 population estimates by the US Census Bureau, Iowa's population of just under three million was the 30th-ranked out of 50. Maine and Vermont between them have approximately the same population as Iowa. Taken together, the combined population would place them at about 16th rank by population in the USA.