45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

REQUESTING A JOINT EFFORT TO EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING CERTAIN PHARMACEUTICAL PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED AT FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS.

WHEREAS, the thousands of patients who receive health care at the dozens of federally qualified health centers throughout New Mexico are patients of record at those clinics and as such are able to receive free prescription drugs at the clinic on prescriptions written by clinic physicians; and

WHEREAS, these same patients are often referred to the university of New Mexico hospital and other settings to receive specialty care; and

WHEREAS, prescriptions written at the specialty care settings are not eligible for being filled at the federally qualified health center pharmacies, and those prescriptions, regardless of where filled, are not entitled to the same discounted price available at the clinic pharmacies; and

WHEREAS, many of the patients seen at these clinics are uninsured and do not have the resources to afford to have prescriptions filled at the going retail price; and

WHEREAS, there exist cooperative relationships between the physicians at both the clinics and the specialty care institutions regarding the well-being and medical treatment of the patients of records of the federally qualified health centers; and

WHEREAS, patients may continue to receive maintenance and follow-up care at both federally qualified health centers and specialty care institutions;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state primary health care association and the university of New Mexico hospital invite the state hospital association and other interested parties to explore cooperative agreements and other possibilities that would permit federally qualified health center patients to have prescriptions filled at clinic pharmacies after treatment at specialty institutions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the two lead entities report progress and recommendations to the interim legislative health and human services committee at its September 2001 meeting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be sent to the state primary health care association, the university of New Mexico hospital and the state hospital association.