Generic drugs saving taxpayer money

OLYMPIA — A state program encouraging use of generic prescription drugs is saving taxpayers money.

State health officials say 87 percent of Medicaid prescriptions filled in 2008 were from the generic drug list.

John Bowden, a state health official, said it’s hard to say exactly how much money was saved, but the program definitely reduces costs.

Credit goes, in part, to the fact that generic drugs are going down in price while the average cost of drugs is going up.