Connecting the dots

August 9, 2016

Good afternoon. Today’s points:

Common-sense opiate bill has behind-the-scenes battle
Dems vs. GOP piggy banks
The Islanders-Olympics connection

Daily Point

Driving force in opiate bill

For the second time in two years, a bill mandating patient access to abuse-resistant opioid painkillers is sitting on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s desk.

On the surface, it doesn’t seem like a contentious issue: Abuse-resistant painkillers are manufactured with properties that, in theory, make it harder to get high from the drugs that about 100 million Americans are prescribed each year for pain. They can include, for example, time-release mechanisms, crush-resistant coatings and additives that prevent euphoria. Cuomo vetoed a similar bill last year, even as the heroin and opiate addiction crisis continues to grow in New York.

What’s actually happening is a complex battle over profits between big drug companies and big insurance companies. Tamper-resistant drugs are often more expensive than the same painkiller without those properties. For patients who store pills safely and won’t abuse them, the extra cost makes no sense. And drug companies are often accused of cynical manipulation by using abuse-resistant technology to differentiate their name-brand drugs from older generic versions whose patents are running out.

Additionally, some in the pharmaceutical industry aren’t convinced that all abuse-deterrent methods actually deter abuse. The bill Cuomo is considering passed with strong bipartisan and advocate support, and he is under heavy public pressure to sign it, but the issue is more complicated than it seems.

Lane Filler

Money Point

Comparing bank accounts

As usual, the state Senate Democratic campaign committee is entering election season with a huge funding gap compared with the Senate Republican majority.

Sen. Michael Gianaris, chairman of the state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, estimated the party had $750,000 in the bank on July 15, compared with $2.6 million for Republicans. But Gianaris is putting a positive spin on the deficit. “It’s much narrower than it has been historically,” he told The Point.

By this time in 2012, Democrats had $700,000 to Republicans’ $5 million.

Anne Michaud

Quick Points

Did you hear?

- Islanders owner Jon Ledecky is in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics. His niece is swimmer Katie Ledecky, who has won one gold medal and one silver medal, and is competing in the 200-meter freestyle Tuesday night. Islanders fans are hoping the winning streak will extend past the Rio pool and onto Brooklyn ice, as they have their eyes on their own shiny prize: a Stanley Cup.

- The National Conference of State Legislatures, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, has released a report about how to improve schools so students can compete in a global economy. In 2009, the National Governors Association sounded a similar alarm and issued the bitterly contested Common Core State Standards. Will legislators have more success reforming education than governors had?

- New York City’s Department of Transportation is commissioning a $370,000 study to investigate fixes for Brooklyn Bridge’s crowded pedestrian and bike lanes. DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg is warning that any changes to the iconic span wouldn’t be easy. If you disagree, we have a bridge to sell you.

- Old Westbury Mayor Fred Carillo said the village rehired Kenneth Callahan as an accounting consultant to “help him out” so Callahan could accrue more time toward his government pension. Callahan was fired earlier from his $218,000-a-year post as village administrator for doing a poor job. Carillo said Callahan wanted to stay on because he felt “attached” to the village. We hope taxpayers are also feeling the love.

- The Editorial Board