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SPONSOR: |
Feldman |
DATE TYPED: |
|
HB |
|
||
SHORT TITLE: |
Prescription Drug Programs |
SB |
160a/SPAC |
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ANALYST: |
Hayes |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
$25.0 |
|
|
Recurring |
General
Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates
to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Responses
Received From
State
Agency on Aging (AOA)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of SPAC Amendment
The Senate Public Affairs Committee strikes the word
“physicians” on line 20 and replaces it with the term “health care givers”
which broadens the consultation group.
Synopsis
of Original Bill
Senate Bill 160
appropriates $25.0 from the general fund to the State Agency on Aging for the
purpose of developing prescription drug education and outreach programs to
promote understanding, awareness and therapeutic consultation between patients,
physicians and pharmacists.
Significant
Issues
Seniors and the disabled population have the
highest out of pocket costs for prescription drugs and, typically, are steered
by the marketing practices of drug manufacturers toward the costliest
medications. Coordinated educational
efforts to assist these populations in choosing the regimen
most beneficial would save money and improve
health status. It is important that the
physician and pharmacist work together to assist individuals in making the most
appropriate choices.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of
$25.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance
remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
The AOA does not need
additional resources to carry out the provisions of SB 160. The $25,000 is an increase to an existing
program.