House File 709 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO HF 342) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the establishment of a prescription drug 2 assistance clearinghouse program by the commissioner of 3 insurance, and providing for a contingent appropriation. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1523HV 81 6 pf/pj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 505.26 PRESCRIPTION DRUG 1 2 ASSISTANCE CLEARINGHOUSE PROGRAM. 1 3 1. The commissioner of insurance shall establish and 1 4 administer a prescription drug assistance clearinghouse 1 5 program to improve access to prescription drugs for 1 6 individuals who have no or inadequate health insurance or 1 7 other resources for the purchase of medically necessary 1 8 prescription drugs and to assist individuals in accessing 1 9 programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers that provide 1 10 free or discounted prescription drugs or provide coverage for 1 11 prescription drugs. 1 12 2. The commissioner of insurance shall utilize computer 1 13 software programs to do all of the following: 1 14 a. Provide a clearinghouse to assist individuals in 1 15 accessing manufacturer=sponsored prescription drug assistance 1 16 programs for which they may be eligible, including listing the 1 17 eligibility requirements for pharmaceutical assistance 1 18 programs offered by manufacturers. 1 19 b. Disseminate information about and assist individuals in 1 20 assessing pharmaceutical discount or insurance programs that 1 21 may be beneficial. 1 22 c. Serve as a resource for pharmaceutical benefit issues. 1 23 d. Assist individuals in making application to and 1 24 enrolling in the pharmaceutical assistance program most 1 25 appropriate for the individual. 1 26 e. Maintain a listing of community=based pharmacy 1 27 assistance programs for additional assistance. 1 28 3. The commissioner of insurance shall provide information 1 29 to pharmacies, physicians, other appropriate health care 1 30 providers, and the general public regarding the program and 1 31 about manufacturer=sponsored prescription drug assistance 1 32 programs. 1 33 4. The commissioner of insurance shall notify 1 34 pharmaceutical manufacturers doing business in this state of 1 35 the prescription drug assistance clearinghouse program, and 2 1 every pharmaceutical manufacturer that does business in this 2 2 state that offers a pharmaceutical assistance program shall 2 3 notify the commissioner of the existence of the program, the 2 4 prescription drugs covered by the program, and all information 2 5 necessary for application for assistance through the program. 2 6 The commissioner of insurance shall provide for ongoing review 2 7 and assessment of pharmaceutical discount or insurance 2 8 programs. 2 9 5. The commissioner of insurance may work with 2 10 pharmaceutical manufacturers to develop a simplified system to 2 11 assist individuals in accessing pharmaceutical assistance 2 12 programs. The system may include a simplified, uniform 2 13 application process or a voucher system for dispensing 2 14 prescription drugs through local pharmacies. 2 15 6. The commissioner of insurance shall monitor and 2 16 evaluate the prescription drug assistance clearinghouse 2 17 program including but not limited to the number of individuals 2 18 served, the length and types of services provided, and any 2 19 other measurable data available to assess the effectiveness of 2 20 the program. The commissioner shall make recommendations for 2 21 improvement of the program and shall identify and make 2 22 recommendations regarding additional strategies to improve 2 23 access to prescription drugs for citizens who have no or 2 24 inadequate health insurance or other resources for the 2 25 purchase of prescription drugs. 2 26 7. The commissioner of insurance shall submit a report 2 27 regarding the effectiveness of the program and including any 2 28 recommendations for improvement of the program to the governor 2 29 and the general assembly on or before December 15, annually. 2 30 If a national pharmaceutical assistance program is established 2 31 by a public or private entity, the commissioner of insurance 2 32 shall include in the annual report a recommendation regarding 2 33 the continuation or elimination of the state prescription drug 2 34 assistance clearinghouse program. 2 35 Sec. 2. PRESCRIPTION DRUG ASSISTANCE CLEARINGHOUSE PROGRAM 3 1 == FUNDING == CONTINGENT APPROPRIATION. 3 2 1. The commissioner of insurance shall seek federal 3 3 funding to establish and administer the prescription drug 3 4 assistance clearinghouse program pursuant to section 505.26. 3 5 2. If federal funding is not received pursuant to 3 6 subsection 1 before October 1, 2005, as certified by the 3 7 commissioner of insurance, there is appropriated from the 3 8 senior living trust fund created in section 249H.4 to the 3 9 insurance division of the department of commerce beginning 3 10 October 1, 2005, and ending June 30, 2006, the following 3 11 amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the 3 12 purpose designated: 3 13 For the establishment and administration of the 3 14 prescription drug assistance clearinghouse program pursuant to 3 15 section 505.26: 3 16 .................................................. $ 250,000 3 17 EXPLANATION 3 18 This bill directs the commissioner of insurance to 3 19 establish and administer a prescription drug assistance 3 20 clearinghouse program to improve access to prescription drugs 3 21 for individuals and to assist individuals in accessing 3 22 programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers that provide 3 23 free or discounted prescription drugs or provide coverage for 3 24 prescription drugs. 3 25 The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to utilize 3 26 computer software programs to provide a clearinghouse to 3 27 assist individuals in accessing manufacturer=sponsored 3 28 prescription drug assistance programs for which they may be 3 29 eligible; disseminate information about and assist citizens in 3 30 assessing pharmaceutical discount or insurance programs that 3 31 may be beneficial; serve as a resource for pharmaceutical 3 32 benefit issues; assist individuals in making application to 3 33 and enrolling in the pharmaceutical assistance program most 3 34 appropriate for the individual; and maintain a listing of 3 35 community=based pharmacy assistance programs for additional 4 1 assistance. 4 2 The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to provide 4 3 information to pharmacies, physicians, other appropriate 4 4 health care providers, and the general public regarding the 4 5 program and about manufacturer=sponsored prescription drug 4 6 assistance programs. 4 7 The commissioner of insurance is to notify pharmaceutical 4 8 manufacturers doing business in the state of the prescription 4 9 drug assistance clearinghouse program, and every 4 10 pharmaceutical manufacturer that does business in the state 4 11 that offers a pharmaceutical assistance program is required to 4 12 notify the commissioner of the existence of the program, the 4 13 prescription drugs covered by the program, and all information 4 14 necessary for application for assistance through the program. 4 15 The commissioner of insurance is to provide for ongoing review 4 16 and assessment of pharmaceutical discount or insurance 4 17 programs. 4 18 The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to monitor 4 19 and evaluate the prescription drug assistance clearinghouse 4 20 program, to make recommendations for improvement of the 4 21 program, and to identify and make recommendations regarding 4 22 additional strategies to improve access to prescription drugs 4 23 for individuals who have no or inadequate health insurance or 4 24 other resources for the purchase of prescription drugs. 4 25 The commissioner is to submit an annual report to the 4 26 governor and the general assembly regarding the effectiveness 4 27 of the program and including any recommendations for 4 28 improvement of the program. If a national program is 4 29 established, the report is to include a recommendation 4 30 regarding the continuation or elimination of the state 4 31 program. 4 32 The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to seek 4 33 federal funding to establish and administer the prescription 4 34 drug assistance clearinghouse program. However, if federal 4 35 funding is not received before October 1, 2005, the bill 5 1 appropriates $250,000 from the senior living trust fund to the 5 2 insurance division of the department of commerce beginning 5 3 October 1, 2005, and ending June 30, 2006, for the 5 4 establishment and administration of the program. 5 5 LSB 1523HV 81 5 6 pf:nh/pj/5