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| SPONSOR: | Taylor | DATE TYPED: | 02/04/99 | HB | 195 | ||
| SHORT TITLE: | Low Income Prescription Assistance | SB | |||||
| ANALYST: | Burris | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY99 | FY2000 | FY99 | FY2000 | ||
| $ 50.0 | Rec | GF | |||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Health Policy Commission
Human Services Department
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill 135 appropriates $50.0 from the general fund to the Human Services Department to provide medically necessary prescription drugs for indigent and low-income persons.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
House Bill 195 attempts to alleviate some of the problems caused by the lack of health coverage in the state. The New Mexico Health Policy Commission (HPC) reports that over 22 percent of New Mexicans do not have health insurance, and therefore, have no coverage for prescription medications. The HPC further reports that prescription medication expenditures have increased faster than any other in the health care arena.
The state currently funds other programs to assist low income and indigent persons with medically necessary prescriptions: Medicaid and the community health centers funded under the state Rural Primary Health Care Act. Federal funds and the County Indigent fund also support such efforts.
RLB/njw