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

SPONSOR:	Hurt		DATE TYPED:	01/29/02		HB
SHORT TITLE:		Free Prescription Drugs to Low-Income Seniors				SB	SJM 0022
					ANALYST:		Dunbar

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SB 118

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Health Policy Commission (HPC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 22 recognizes that the process of applying for pharmaceutical manufacturer assistance programs is difficult for both the patient and the patient’s health care provider. The memorial further resolves that the State Agency on Aging work with manufacturers to develop simple and uniform enrollment applications and conduct a pilot program to help low-income seniors apply to these assistance programs.

Significant Issues

The memorial recognizes that many pharmaceutical manufacturers voluntarily run patient assistance programs and a wide range of drugs are available for free. Applying for these programs is cumbersome for the patient and the care provider because of the complexity of the application process. These application procedures vary by manufacturer, and most require direct and significant provider involvement. Patients are unable to use such programs because of the difficulties involved.

The memorial specifies that the State Agency on Aging report progress to the interim legislative Health and Human Services Committee at its October, 2002 meeting.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

None identified by the State Agency on Aging.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

None identified by the State Agency on Aging.

RELATIONSHIP

Relates SB118, which appropriates $115,000 to the State Agency on Aging to develop a system to accomplish outreach similar to the pilot program in this memorial.

BD/ar