HB4922enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4922 Enrolled LRB096 16221 KTG 31477 b

AN ACT concerning aging.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Act is amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

(320 ILCS 50/15)

Sec. 15. Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Review Committee.

(a) The Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Review Committee is created. The Committee shall consist of 17 members as follows:

(1) Twelve members appointed as follows: 2 members of the General Assembly and 1 member of the general public, appointed by the President of the Senate; 2 members of the General Assembly and 1 member of the general public, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; 2 members of the General Assembly and 1 member of the general public, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and 2 members of the General Assembly and 1 member of the general public, appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. These members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

(2) The Director of Aging or his or her designee.

(3) The Director of Revenue or his or her designee.

(4) The Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee.

(5) The Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee.

(6) The Director of Public Health or his or her designee.

(b) Members appointed from the general public shall represent the following associations, organizations, and interests: statewide membership-based senior advocacy organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacists, dispensing pharmacies, physicians, and providers of services to senior citizens. No single organization may have more than one representative appointed as a member from the general public.

(c) The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate one member of the Committee to serve as co-chairs.

(d) Committee members shall serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses.

(e) The Committee shall meet at the call of the co-chairs, but at least quarterly.

(f) The Committee may conduct public hearings to gather testimony from interested parties regarding pharmaceutical assistance for Illinois seniors, including changes to existing and proposed programs.

(f-5) The Committee may review federal legislation with regard to e-prescribing to determine what provisions, if any, would improve health care in Illinois.

(f-6) The Committee may conduct public hearings to gather testimony regarding federal procedure for pandemic preparedness and response to determine whether or not the State should update its preparedness procedures and tactics.

(g) The Committee may advise appropriate State agencies regarding the establishment of proposed programs or changes to existing programs. The State agencies shall take into consideration any recommendations made by the Committee.

(h) The Committee shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor annually or as it deems necessary regarding proposed or recommended changes to pharmaceutical assistance programs that benefit Illinois seniors and any associated costs of those changes.

(h-5) The Committee may conduct public hearings to gather testimony from interested parties regarding prescription drug abuse to determine whether the State should increase penalties against those engaged in conduct potentially harmful to Illinois residents, particularly those under age 25. In order to do this, the Committee may review guidelines from State universities addressing prescription drug abuse.

(i) In the event that a prescription drug benefit is added to the federal Medicare program, the Committee shall make recommendations for the realignment of State-operated senior prescription drug programs so that Illinois residents qualify for at least substantially the same level of benefits available to them prior to implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, provided that a resident remains eligible for such a State-operated program. The Committee shall report its recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor by January 1, 2005.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.