State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB2393

 
                                               LRB9205851SMpk

 1        AN ACT concerning prescription drug benefits.

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

 4        Section  1.   Short  title.  This Act may be cited as the
 5    Prescription Drugs Benefits Act.

 6        Section 5. Definitions.
 7        (a) In this Act:
 8        "Department" means the Department on Aging.
 9        "Director" means the Director of Aging.
10        "Disabled person" means a person unable to engage in  any
11    substantial   gainful  activity  by  reason  of  a  medically
12    determinable  physical  or  mental  impairment  that  can  be
13    expected to result in death or has lasted or can be  expected
14    to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
15        "Eligible person" means a resident of this State who:
16             (1) is 65 years of age or older; or
17             (2)  has a gross annual household income of not more
18        than 188% of the federal poverty  level,  does  not  work
19        more than 40 hours per month, and is a disabled person.
20        "Enrollee"  means  an eligible person who has applied and
21    enrolled in the program established by this Act.
22        "Mail  service  program"  means  a  program  to  dispense
23    prescription drugs by postal delivery service designated  and
24    administered  by the Department, and any entity with which it
25    contracts, upon an enrollee's submission  of  a  prescription
26    and the applicable co-payment.
27        "Maintenance  drug"  means a prescription drug prescribed
28    to an individual for a chronic condition, the use of which is
29    medically necessary for a consecutive period of  90  days  or
30    longer.
31        "Pharmacy benefit manager" means an entity under contract
 
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 1    with  the  Department, whether organized on a for-profit or a
 2    not-for-profit  basis,  contracted  to  manage  the   program
 3    established by this Act.
 4        "Program"  means the subsidized catastrophic prescription
 5    drug insurance program.
 6        "Review commission" means the  prescription  drug  review
 7    commission.
 8        (b)   The   Department   shall  administer  a  subsidized
 9    catastrophic prescription drug insurance program designed  to
10    provide eligible persons with prescription drug coverage. The
11    program shall be actuarially sound. Enrollment in the program
12    shall  be  voluntary  and  shall  be funded each fiscal year,
13    subject  to  appropriation,  from  the   Tobacco   Settlement
14    Recovery Fund.
15        (c)  The  Director,  in  conjunction with the Director of
16    Insurance, shall enter into a competitively procured contract
17    with one or more entities including, but not  limited  to,  a
18    pharmacy  benefit  manager,  to administer benefits under the
19    program. The Director  shall  take  all  necessary  steps  to
20    ensure that the program is structured in a way that maximizes
21    savings, efficiencies, affordability, benefits, and coverage.
22        No prescription drug shall be excluded from any formulary
23    established  for the program unless another prescription drug
24    is  available  on  the  formulary  that  is   therapeutically
25    equivalent  to  the excluded prescription drug. Not less than
26    90 days before procuring a contract with an existing pharmacy
27    benefit manager, the Department shall file a report with  the
28    review  commission detailing the cost savings associated with
29    the Department's decision to procure that  existing  pharmacy
30    benefit  manager's  services.  The  Department shall contract
31    with entities  to  perform  marketing,  enrollment,  billing,
32    claims  processing,  claims management, or any other function
33    it deems necessary.
34        (d)  Notwithstanding  any  law  to  the   contrary,   the
 
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 1    Department   shall,   subject  to  appropriation,  engage  in
 2    outreach marketing efforts  to  maximize  enrollment  in  the
 3    program for the purpose of spreading the risk of the program.
 4        (e)  Not  later  than  30  days before enrolling eligible
 5    persons  in  the  program,  and  annually   thereafter,   the
 6    Department  shall establish schedules of monthly premiums and
 7    annual deductibles based on a sliding income scale payable by
 8    enrollees whose gross annual household income is greater than
 9    188% of the federal poverty level. The Department shall  also
10    establish schedules of monthly premiums and deductibles based
11    on a sliding income scale payable by married applicants whose
12    gross  annual  household  income  is greater than 188% of the
13    federal poverty level. The State is liable for  the  cost  of
14    the  monthly premium and annual deductible established by the
15    schedule for all enrollees including,  but  not  limited  to,
16    married  applicants,  whose  gross annual household income is
17    less than or equal to 188% of the federal poverty level.  The
18    schedules   shall  provide  for  not  less  than  6  separate
19    categories of premiums and deductibles, on  a  sliding  scale
20    basis,  for  all  income  levels  above  188%  of the federal
21    poverty level. During the first 12 months of the program, the
22    schedule shall provide for monthly premiums of (1)  not  more
23    than $15 for enrollees including, but not limited to, married
24    applicants  whose  gross  annual  household income is between
25    188% and 200% of the federal poverty level; and (2) not  more
26    than $25 for enrollees including, but not limited to, married
27    applicants  whose  gross  annual  household income is between
28    200% and 225% of the federal poverty level; and (3) not  more
29    than  $82  for  enrollees whose gross annual household income
30    exceeds 500% of the federal poverty level. Annual deductibles
31    shall range  between  $100  and  $500.  Eligibility  for  the
32    program  shall  be  determined  based  on an enrollee's gross
33    annual household income. Each enrollee shall  separately  pay
34    the  monthly  premium and annual deductible applicable to the
 
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 1    sliding  scale  income  category  for   the   household,   as
 2    determined by the Department.
 3        (f)  The  Department  or its designee shall verify income
 4    for the program based on the submission of the most  recently
 5    required  federal  income tax return for the household or, if
 6    an applicant is not required to file a return, the submission
 7    of copies of monthly checks or other easily obtainable  means
 8    of  income  verification.  Residency shall be verified by the
 9    submission of such  documentation  as  the  Department  deems
10    reasonable.
11        (g)  Subject  to  this Section, the program shall pay the
12    costs  of  all  prescription  drugs  for  an  enrollee  whose
13    out-of-pocket expenditures on prescription drugs exceeds  the
14    lesser  of  (1) 10% of such enrollee's gross annual household
15    income or (2) $2,000 in out-of-pocket expenditures made by an
16    enrollee for co-payments and deductibles in  a  fiscal  year.
17    For  purposes  of this subsection, out-of-pocket expenditures
18    shall not include monthly  premiums  for  which  an  enrollee
19    shall  remain responsible. The program shall pay the costs of
20    any prescription drug in  excess  of  the  co-payment  amount
21    applicable  to  the drug after the deductible established for
22    the enrollee has been reached.
23        (h) An enrollee whose gross annual  household  income  is
24    greater  than  200%  of  the  federal  poverty level shall be
25    responsible for a co-payment for each prescription of (1) $10
26    per prescription for a generic drug, (2) $25 per prescription
27    for a preferred drug, and (3) the greater of $25  or  50%  of
28    the  cost  per  prescription  for  a  nonpreferred  drug. The
29    co-payment for maintenance drugs shall be (1)  $20  for  each
30    90-day  supply  of a prescription for a generic drug, (2) $50
31    for each 90-day supply of  a  preferred  drug,  and  (3)  the
32    greater  of  $50  or  50%  of  the cost per prescription of a
33    nonpreferred drug.
34        (i) An enrollee whose gross annual  household  income  is
 
                            -5-                LRB9205851SMpk
 1    less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level shall
 2    be  responsible for a co-payment for each prescription of (1)
 3    $5  per  prescription  for  a  generic  drug,  (2)  $12   per
 4    prescription for a preferred drug; and (3) the greater of $25
 5    or  50% of the cost per prescription for a nonpreferred drug.
 6    The co-payment for maintenance drugs shall be (1)  $  10  for
 7    each  90-day supply of a prescription for a generic drug, (2)
 8    $25 for each 90-day supply of a preferred drug, and  (3)  the
 9    greater  of  $50  or  50%  of  the cost per prescription of a
10    nonpreferred drug.
11        (j) Subject to this Section, the Department may  offer  a
12    mail  service  program  and  may  require  the  use of a mail
13    service program for maintenance drugs.  No  such  mail  order
14    program  for  maintenance  drugs shall be required unless the
15    Director determines in writing  that  material  savings  will
16    result  to  the  State  or enrollees without compromising the
17    health or safety of enrollees. In making  the  determination,
18    the  Director  shall  consider  the  impact of any mail order
19    program on the value of the retail pharmacy services  in  the
20    communities.  Before  making  any determination, the Director
21    shall hold at least one  public  hearing  in  order  to  hear
22    testimony  from  members  of  the  public.  Any  mail service
23    program shall be  administered  by  the  Department  and  the
24    contracted pharmacy benefit manager.
25        (k)  In  order  to  maintain  the fiscal viability of the
26    program, after the first  12  months  of  the  program,  cost
27    sharing  required  of  enrollees  in the form of co-payments,
28    premiums and deductibles, or any combination  thereof,  shall
29    be  adjusted  annually  by  the  Department  to reflect price
30    trends for prescription drugs, as determined by the Director.
31    The  review   commission   shall   evaluate   the   actuarial
32    assumptions  and  the appropriateness of adjustments and make
33    an annual written determination whether the  adjustments  are
34    necessary  for  all  or  any  combination of the cost sharing
 
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 1    requirements. Not  later  than  90  days  before  making  any
 2    adjustments,  the  Director shall submit to the Governor, the
 3    President of the Senate, and the  Speaker  of  the  House  of
 4    Representatives,   the  written  determination  made  by  the
 5    commission and all actuarial assumptions and other supporting
 6    materials upon which the adjustments are based.
 7        (l) During the initial 12-month period the program is  in
 8    effect,  an  eligible  person  may  enroll at any time, after
 9    which, application to the program shall  be  made  during  an
10    open  enrollment  period established by the Department, but a
11    person shall be eligible to enroll in the program at any time
12    within the year of reaching  age  65.  The  Department  shall
13    establish  a  surcharge  for  any eligible person whose gross
14    annual household income is not less than 188% of the  federal
15    poverty level and who fails to enroll within his or her first
16    year of eligibility.
17        (m)  Coverage  shall  be  effective  as  of  the  date an
18    application for enrollment is approved by the Department. The
19    Director shall close the open  enrollment  period  or  modify
20    income eligibility levels upon a written determination by the
21    Director  that  program  expenditures are projected to exceed
22    the amount appropriated for the program or, based on not less
23    than 9 months of claims and enrollment data for  the  current
24    fiscal  year,  expenditures in the subsequent fiscal year are
25    clearly  projected  to  annualize  beyond  the   expenditures
26    projected by the Department in the subsequent fiscal year. If
27    the  projection  is  based  on expenditures in the subsequent
28    fiscal year, the Director shall not modify income eligibility
29    levels or close open enrollment until not  earlier  than  the
30    beginning of the subsequent fiscal year.
31        (n)   The  Department,  and  any  entity  with  which  it
32    contracts, shall inform enrollees in writing of the program's
33    scope,  coverage,  cost   sharing   requirements,   and   any
34    limitations  on access to prescription drugs. The Department,
 
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 1    and any entity with which it contracts, shall provide  for  a
 2    clear  and  timely  process  by  which enrollees can appeal a
 3    decision by the Department or any contracted entity  to  deny
 4    or limit coverage or benefits under this Act.
 5        (o)  The  appeal  process  shall,  at  a minimum, provide
 6    enrollees with the opportunity to (1) obtain  a  nonpreferred
 7    drug  at  the  co-payment  level  of  a preferred drug, or to
 8    obtain any prescription drug excluded by the program, upon  a
 9    separate  written  certification by the enrollee's physician,
10    satisfactory to the  Department,  that  the  nonpreferred  or
11    excluded   drug  is  medically  necessary  and  there  is  no
12    therapeutically equivalent preferred drug  available  to  the
13    enrollee;  (2)  appeal the exclusion of any prescription drug
14    from any formulary established for the program.  An  enrollee
15    may  apply  to be exempt from any mail service requirement of
16    the program upon a  separate  written  certification  by  the
17    enrollee's  physician,  satisfactory  to the Department, that
18    due to a disability or other significant limiting factor, the
19    use  of  a  mail   service   program   would   be   medically
20    inappropriate  for  the enrollee. A retail pharmacy shall not
21    be required to dispense a prescription upon the failure of an
22    enrollee to make the required co-payment.
23        (p) The Department must adopt rules that are necessary to
24    implement and administer the program.

25        Section 10. Prescription drug review commission.
26        (a) There shall be a prescription drug review  commission
27    to   oversee   the  program  established  by  this  Act.  The
28    commission shall consist of  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of
29    Representatives  or his or her designee, the President of the
30    Senate or his or her designee, the Director of Aging  or  his
31    or  her  designee,  and  9  members  to  be  appointed by the
32    Governor, including 2  representatives  of  senior  citizens'
33    advocacy   organizations,  2  representatives  of  disability
 
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 1    advocacy  organizations,  a  health  care  economist  from  a
 2    university or college within  the  State,  2  representatives
 3    from  retail  pharmacies,  an  individual  who is a full-time
 4    employee of a pharmaceutical manufacturer, and an  individual
 5    who  is a full-time employee of a biotechnology manufacturer.
 6    A representative of the contracted pharmacy  benefit  manager
 7    shall  also  participate, but shall not be a voting member of
 8    the commission.
 9        (b) Members of the commission shall select a  chair.  The
10    commission   shall   adopt  such  rules  and  establish  such
11    procedures as it deems necessary for  the  oversight  of  the
12    program  established by this Act. No action of the commission
13    shall be considered approved  unless  it  is  endorsed  by  a
14    majority vote of the commission.
15        (c)  The  commission  shall meet quarterly and shall, not
16    less than biannually, submit written recommendations  to  the
17    Governor  and  the  General Assembly regarding changes to the
18    administration, management, eligibility  criteria,  benefits,
19    funding, or any other aspect of the program.
20        (d)  To  facilitate  the  commission's development of the
21    recommendations, the Department, and any entity with which it
22    contracts, shall review the operations of  the  program  and,
23    not  less  than  quarterly,  prepare and submit the following
24    summary information to said commission:
25             (1) financial  reports  of  the  program,  including
26        actual  and  projected costs and revenues and an analysis
27        of the adequacy of appropriated funding;
28             (2)  enrollment  information,   including   enrollee
29        demographics and benefit utilization data;
30             (3)  specific  problems  associated with the program
31        and suggested strategies to resolve those problems;
32             (4) a  review  of  the  pharmacy  benefit  manager's
33        designated  formulary  for  the  program and any proposed
34        changes;
 
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 1             (5) an analysis of current and future  technological
 2        advancements that may result in cost savings or otherwise
 3        affect the program;
 4             (6)  an  analysis  of  the  program's  cost  sharing
 5        requirements  including, but not limited to, co-payments,
 6        premiums, and deductibles, in relation to  actual  market
 7        trends  in  prescription  drug  costs,  prescription drug
 8        inflation, and any proposed changes;
 9             (7) an analysis  of  the  disabled  enrollees'  drug
10        utilization  pattern  including,  but not limited to, the
11        cost   associated   with   that   utilization   and   the
12        implications  for  expanding  benefits  to  all  disabled
13        individuals who reside in the State; and
14             (8)  all  other   information   requested   by   the
15        commission.   In   developing  its  recommendations,  the
16        commission shall consult with representatives of  parties
17        who may be affected by the commission's recommendations.

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