Los Angeles County to join Gov. Gavin Newsom-led effort to slash prescription drug prices

DOWNEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday Los Angeles County will join forces with California in an effort to negotiate lower prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Newsom joined L.A. County leaders at a Downey rehab center to discuss his goal for healthcare for all.

Shortly after his inauguration, Newsom signed an executive order to allow cities and counties to join the state in jointly negotiating costs with drug companies. With the move, the state became the largest purchasing pool in the country, outside of the federal government.

The governor said he supports a single-payer health plan for the state but acknowledges it will be no easy feat. To push the plan along, he first wants to expand Medi-Cal insurance coverage.

"We are saving money now. We're going to save billions and billions of dollars over the next few years, and we're lighting up the imagination of others," Newsom said at a press conference. "Not one but two governors have called me saying, 'What about us? What about our states joining the state of California.'"

Along with other states, the governor said he wants to get private businesses to join the system as a means to gain even more buying power to negotiate with drug companies.