[1] NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Feldman

 

DATE TYPED:

1/29/02

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Prescription Drug Outreach for Seniors

 

SB

118/aSPAC

 

 

ANALYST:

Esquibel

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

$115.0

 

 

Recurring

GF

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to Appropriation in The General Appropriation Act

 

Relates to SB91, Senior Prescription Drug Benefit; HB200, Senior Prescription Drug Program

                                                                                                                                                           

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

State Agency on Aging (SAOA)

NM Health Policy Commission (HPC)

 

No Response

 

Human Services Department (HSD)

Department of Health (DOH)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of SPAC Amendment

 

The Senate Public Affairs Committee amendment to Senate Bill 118 changes “low-income senior citizens” to read “low-income persons” so all persons who may possibly be eligible can take advantage of the program.

 

 

     Synopsis of Original Bill

 

Senate Bill 118 appropriates $115.0 from the general fund to SAOA to expand outreach efforts to help low-income senior citizens statewide obtain free prescription drugs from pharmaceutical manufacturers through the use of an automated system for processing applications.

 

     Significant Issues

 

SAOA reports the appropriation contained in the bill would allow for the purchase of a license for up to 1000 people to use an Internet-based automated system to process applications to pharmaceutical manufacturing companies for free prescription drugs for qualifying low-income individuals.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $115.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY03 shall revert to the general fund.

 

TECHNICAL ISSUES

 

SAOA and HPC suggests the following changes to the bill:

 

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

The Medicare website provides details on 65 different prescription drug programs via a dowloadable database at http://www.medicare.gov/Prescription/Home.asp.

 

RAE/njw

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