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
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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
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