"Sharon Anglin Treat" is an American politician and attorney from Maine. A Maine Democratic Party/Democrat, Treat has served in the Maine Legislature since 1990. Treat has represented Hallowell, Maine in Kennebec County, Maine/Kennebec County in the Maine House of Representatives since 2006. She is unable to seek re-election in 2014 due to term-limits.

During Treat's time in the Legislature, she was a well-known foe of the private health insurance industry and pharmaceutical industry.

Treat was first elected to the Maine House in 1990 and served until 1996. From 1996 to 2004, Treat served as a State Senator, including a term (2002–04) as the Senate Majority Leader. Unable to run for re-election to the State Senate in 2004, Treat returned to the House. She was replaced by Scott Cowger (D-Hallowell).

More Sharon Treat on Wikipedia.

Unless we take significant steps to address that, it's going to continue to be the problem. States have attempted to address this, but are somewhat constrained in what they're allowed to do. It raises the question of why Congress is not taking steps to amend this. As long as Congress doesn't act, I think you're going to see states be as creative as they can in doing something themselves.

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Ultimately, we do have to fix the whole health care system in this country. But we don't have to wait for that to happen to get drug prices under control. We can do that now if the government would do the negotiating instead of turning over that job to private companies.

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The idea is to set up several programs and let the consumer choose, ... But the problem is that a competitive model isn't good for everyone.

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On a drug-by-drug basis, someone could save well over $1,000 a year. For someone who is not covered by the soon-to-be-rolled out Medicare program and isn't elderly and doesn't have any coverage, $1,000 is huge. It explains why some people are doing this. It explains why at least 22 states this year looked at legislation addressing importation.

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Maybe this is one way to move the federal government. It's a ridiculous way to be addressing the problem to go state by state, receiving threats from the government saying it's illegal, and yet states are doing it anyway. It just shows how desperate they are to come up with anything to reduce drug prices for their citizens.

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This is going to add fuel to the fire in terms of states' frustration with the federal government.

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Drugs are overpriced in general, and because we are one of the only countries that truly does not negotiate or set prices, our consumers are paying the price.

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This plan works for those on the lowest end of the income spread, ... But for most people, the way it's set up, the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are going to make a killing.

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Under this plan, the state will end up folding its own programs, such as Medicaid, into the federal one, ... That means they'll be charged for Medicaid costs anyway. The state may end up paying more for less.

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