MARION (WSIL) 鈥� A major lawsuit across the nation accuses generic drug companies of colluding to raise prices, but months before that lawsuit, a local doctor filed his own.
In the national lawsuit, 44 states, including Illinois, Kansas and Missouri are accusing the generic drug companies of taking billions of dollars from consumers.聽
While researching the lawsuit, investigators found聽a bottle of asthma medication, Albuterol Sulfate, jumped more than 4,000 percent between 2013 and 2014.聽
They also found a bottle of cholesterol medication, Pravastatin, increased more than 500 percent.
These large increases are concerning a local doctor if he can keep his doors open.聽
Dr. Tom Pliura has been in practice for 35 years.聽
He鈥檚 claiming that multiple pharmaceutical companies agreed to set fixed prices for medications.聽
Pliura runs Marion Healthcare Clinic and serves around 14,000 people a year.聽
"Three out of every four patients that come through those doors are going to have some type of government payer," Pliura said.聽
Pliura said both Medicare and Medicaid set limits on reimbursement for drugs.聽
"If Medicare says we are going to pay you ten dollars, then that鈥檚 all you get," Pliura said.聽
With the rising cost of generic medications and with no extra help from the government, his patients and the聽clinic must cover the cost.聽
"Some of these medicines are very old and have been around for years and years and are very cheap drugs initially," Pliura said.聽
Due to the rising cost, Pliura formed a lawsuit against drug companies like McKesson Corporation and a handful of others.聽
"They have illegally agreed to collude and set fixed prices and that鈥檚 again the anti-trust laws.聽
There also is a surgery center inside the Marion clinic.聽
Pliura said due to the prices of medication, the center has had to turn away patients.聽
"We defer and we don鈥檛 perform those type of surgeries that we are quiet capable of doing, but you lose money at it," Pliura said.聽
While Pliura and other health centers fight against the drug companies, he says patients should be good shoppers.
"You have to take a more proactive role in your medical care and what it cost," Pliura said.聽
Pliura said he expects his lawsuit to take a couple of years to complete.聽
See Pliura鈥檚 lawsuit below.
