HSE reduces payments to wholesalers

i was reading in the metro this morning about the HSE's plans to reduce the amount they give to wholesalers of drugs on the medical card scheme. I also read a quote from our wonderful ms harney about it a few days ago

ms harney was quoted as saying something along the lines of:
people need not worry if pharmacies pull out of the medical card scheme, we'll still get people their drugs

and in the metro a HSE official was quoted, referring to the reasons for the reductions as saying:
the bottom line is people are paying too much for their drugs

and i wanted three questions answered in the way only AH can provide:

1. How does ms harney plan to introduce a brand new nationwide distribution system in a few months that will cost dramatically less than the current system?or was she simply lying?

2. How in the name of god will reducing the subsidies on the drugs reduce the amount people pay for them?

3. Why do we put up with this pack of gob****es running the country into the ground and endangering our health through penny pinching and mismanagement?