45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AND THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE

REQUESTING THE RETIREE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A MULTISTATE BULK PURCHASING COOPERATIVE TO OBTAIN THE MOST FAVORABLE PRICES FOR PHARMACEUTICALS AND TO ALLOW CERTAIN NON-MEMBER SENIORS TO PURCHASE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AT DISCOUNTED PRICES.

WHEREAS, senior citizens in New Mexico who lack prescription drug coverage pay the highest prices for prescription drugs; and

WHEREAS, these senior citizens take an average of twenty-nine prescription drugs per year, and may pay up to one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) per year out of pocket to pay for these prescriptions; and

WHEREAS, the medicare program, which provides health insurance for senior citizens, does not include an outpatient prescription drug benefit; and

WHEREAS, access to discounted prices for prescription drugs is very limited for seniors who lack supplemental health insurance; and

WHEREAS, the retiree health care authority is already engaged in negotiating discounted prices for prescription drugs for retired public employees; and

WHEREAS, there are several multistate bulk purchasing cooperatives that work together to achieve better discounts and to benefit larger populations of people through the discounts; and

WHEREAS, the retiree health care authority is currently working with one multistate purchasing cooperative to achieve better discounts for its members;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the retiree health care authority be requested to study all existing multistate purchasing cooperatives, including the northern New England tri-state coalition, the northeast legislative association on prescription drug pricing, the Massachusetts alliance for pharmaceutical buying and the pharmacy working group, to determine the potential for savings and discounts in purchasing pharmaceuticals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the retiree health care authority join the most advantageous multistate effort that will provide the best discounted prices to persons other than those currently being served by the retiree health care authority; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the retiree health care authority develop a mechanism to allow seniors who are not public retirees to enroll and purchase prescription drugs at the negotiated, discounted prices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the retiree health care authority report its findings to the legislative health and human services committee at its October 2002 meeting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be sent to the retiree health care authority and the legislative health and human services committee.