State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]


92_SB2098eng

 
SB2098 Engrossed                               LRB9215761REdv

 1        AN ACT concerning citizen assistance.

 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    Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Act.

 6        Section 5.  Findings. The General Assembly finds:
 7        (1)  Senior citizens identify  pharmaceutical  assistance
 8    as   the   single  most  critical  factor  to  their  health,
 9    well-being, and continued independence.
10        (2)  The  State  of   Illinois   currently   operates   2
11    pharmaceutical  assistance programs that benefit seniors: (i)
12    the program of pharmaceutical  assistance  under  the  Senior
13    Citizens   and  Disabled  Persons  Property  Tax  Relief  and
14    Pharmaceutical Assistance Act and (ii) the Aid to  the  Aged,
15    Blind,  or  Disabled  program  under  the Illinois Public Aid
16    Code. The State has been given authority to establish a third
17    program, SeniorRx Care, through a federal Medicaid waiver.
18        (3)  Each year, numerous pieces of legislation are  filed
19    seeking  to  establish  additional  pharmaceutical assistance
20    benefits for seniors or  to  make  changes  to  the  existing
21    programs.
22        (4)  Establishment  of a pharmaceutical assistance review
23    committee  will  ensure  proper  coordination  of   benefits,
24    diminish  the  likelihood of duplicative benefits, and ensure
25    that the best interests of seniors are served.
26        (5)  In addition to the State  pharmaceutical  assistance
27    programs,    several   private   entities,   such   as   drug
28    manufacturers and pharmacies, also  offer  prescription  drug
29    discount or coverage programs.
30        (6)  Many seniors are unaware of the myriad of public and
31    private programs available to them.
 
SB2098 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9215761REdv
 1        (7)  Establishing  a  pharmaceutical clearinghouse with a
 2    toll-free hot-line and local outreach  workers  will  educate
 3    seniors about the vast array of options available to them and
 4    enable  seniors  to make an educated and informed choice that
 5    is best for them.
 6        (8)  Estimates indicate that almost one-third  of  senior
 7    citizens   lack   prescription  drug  coverage.  The  federal
 8    government, states, and the pharmaceutical industry each have
 9    a role in helping these  uninsured  seniors  gain  access  to
10    life-saving medications.
11        (9)  The  State of Illinois has recognized its obligation
12    to  assist   Illinois'   neediest   seniors   in   purchasing
13    prescription   medications,   and   it   is   now   time  for
14    pharmaceutical manufacturers to recognize their obligation to
15    make their medications affordable to seniors.

16        Section 10.  Definitions. In this Act:
17        "Manufacturer" includes:
18        (1)  An entity that is engaged  in  (a)  the  production,
19    preparation,   propagation,   compounding,   conversion,   or
20    processing  of  prescription  drug  products  (i) directly or
21    indirectly by extraction from substances of  natural  origin,
22    (ii)  independently  by means of chemical synthesis, or (iii)
23    by combination of extraction and chemical synthesis;  or  (b)
24    the  packaging,  repackaging,  labeling  or  re-labeling,  or
25    distribution of prescription drug products.
26        (2)  The  entity  holding legal title to or possession of
27    the national drug code number for  the  covered  prescription
28    drug.
29        The  term  does  not  include  a wholesale distributor of
30    drugs,  drugstore  chain  organization,  or  retail  pharmacy
31    licensed by the State.
32        "Prescription drug" means a drug that  may  be  dispensed
33    only  upon  prescription by an authorized prescriber and that
 
SB2098 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9215761REdv
 1    is approved for safety and effectiveness  as  a  prescription
 2    drug  under  Section 505 or 507 of the Federal Food, Drug and
 3    Cosmetic Act.
 4        "Senior citizen" or "senior" means a person 65  years  of
 5    age or older.

 6        Section   15.  Senior  Pharmaceutical  Assistance  Review
 7    Committee.
 8        (a)  The   Senior   Pharmaceutical   Assistance    Review
 9    Committee  is  created.  The  Committee  shall  consist of 17
10    members as follows:
11             (1)  Twelve members appointed as follows: 2  members
12        of  the  General  Assembly  and  1  member of the general
13        public, appointed by  the  President  of  the  Senate;  2
14        members  of  the  General  Assembly  and  1 member of the
15        general public, appointed by the Minority Leader  of  the
16        Senate; 2 members of the General Assembly and 1 member of
17        the general public, appointed by the Speaker of the House
18        of Representatives; and 2 members of the General Assembly
19        and  1  member  of  the  general public, appointed by the
20        Minority Leader of the House  of  Representatives.  These
21        members  shall  serve  at  the pleasure of the appointing
22        authority.
23             (2)  The Director of Aging or his or her designee.
24             (3)  The Director of Revenue or his or her designee.
25             (4)  The Director  of  Public  Aid  or  his  or  her
26        designee.
27             (5)  The  Secretary  of Human Services or his or her
28        designee.
29             (6)  The Director of Public Health  or  his  or  her
30        designee.
31        (b)  Members  appointed  from  the  general  public shall
32    represent  the  following  associations,  organizations,  and
33    interests:   statewide   membership-based   senior   advocacy
 
SB2098 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9215761REdv
 1    organizations,  pharmaceutical  manufacturers,   pharmacists,
 2    dispensing  pharmacies, physicians, and providers of services
 3    to senior citizens.  No single  organization  may  have  more
 4    than  one  representative  appointed  as  a  member  from the
 5    general public.
 6        (c)  The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House
 7    of Representatives shall each designate  one  member  of  the
 8    Committee to serve as co-chairs.
 9        (d)  Committee  members  shall serve without compensation
10    or reimbursement for expenses.
11        (e)  The  Committee  shall  meet  at  the  call  of   the
12    co-chairs, but at least quarterly.
13        (f)  The  Committee may conduct public hearings to gather
14    testimony from interested  parties  regarding  pharmaceutical
15    assistance   for   Illinois  seniors,  including  changes  to
16    existing and proposed programs.
17        (g)  The Committee may advise appropriate State  agencies
18    regarding  the  establishment of proposed programs or changes
19    to existing programs. The  State  agencies  shall  take  into
20    consideration any recommendations made by the Committee.
21        (h)  The  Committee  shall report to the General Assembly
22    and the Governor annually or as it deems necessary  regarding
23    proposed  or recommended changes to pharmaceutical assistance
24    programs that benefit Illinois  seniors  and  any  associated
25    costs of those changes.

26        Section 20.  Senior Health Assistance Program.
27        (a)  The  Senior  Health  Assistance  Program  is created
28    within the Department on Aging, to become operational  within
29    90  days  after  the  effective  date of this Act. The Senior
30    Health  Assistance  Program  shall   provide   outreach   and
31    education  to  senior citizens on available prescription drug
32    coverage and discount programs.
33        (b)  The Senior Health Assistance Program shall operate a
 
SB2098 Engrossed            -5-                LRB9215761REdv
 1    Clearinghouse for all information regarding prescription drug
 2    coverage programs available to senior citizens  in  Illinois.
 3    The  Clearinghouse  shall  operate  in  conjunction  with the
 4    Department's toll-free senior information program.
 5        (c)  The purposes of the Clearinghouse include,  but  are
 6    not limited to:
 7             (1)  Maintaining  information  on public and private
 8        prescription assistance programs for Illinois seniors.
 9             (2)  Educating  citizens  on  available  public  and
10        private prescription assistance programs.
11             (3)  Educating seniors on how to  make  an  informed
12        decision   about   participation   in  prescription  drug
13        assistance programs.
14        (d)  The Clearinghouse has the following duties:
15             (1)  Provide a one-stop resource for all information
16        for seniors regarding  public  and  private  prescription
17        drug discount and coverage programs.
18             (2)  Perform  outreach  and  education activities on
19        public  and  private  prescription  drug   discount   and
20        coverage programs.
21             (3)  Maintain  a  toll-free telephone number staffed
22        by trained customer service representatives.
23             (4)  Maintain  measurable  data  to   identify   the
24        progress  and  success of the program, including, but not
25        limited to, the number of individuals served, the type of
26        assistance received, and overall program evaluation.
27        (e)  The Department shall work cooperatively  with  other
28    Departments  that  fund  senior  health assistance, including
29    assistance  with  prescription  drugs,  to   ensure   maximum
30    coordination.

31        Section   25.  Study   of   catastrophic   pharmaceutical
32    assistance coverage.
33        (a)  The  Illinois  Comprehensive  Health Insurance Board
 
SB2098 Engrossed            -6-                LRB9215761REdv
 1    shall study a catastrophic pharmaceutical assistance coverage
 2    option. The Board may contract with a private entity for  the
 3    completion  of  all  or  part of the study. Specifically, the
 4    study shall:
 5             (1)  Assess   the   need    for    a    catastrophic
 6        pharmaceutical   assistance  coverage  option,  including
 7        information on the number of individuals in need of  such
 8        a benefit.
 9             (2)  Estimate  the  cost of providing a catastrophic
10        pharmaceutical assistance  coverage  option  through  the
11        Illinois  Comprehensive  Health Insurance Plan or another
12        public or private entity.
13             (3)  Recommend  ways  to   create   a   catastrophic
14        pharmaceutical assistance coverage option.
15        (b)  The  Board  may accept donations, in trust, from any
16    legal source, public or private, for deposit into a specially
17    created  trust  account  and  for  expenditure,  without  the
18    necessity of being appropriated, solely for  the  purpose  of
19    conducting all or part of the study.
20        (c)  The   Board   may   enter   into   intergovernmental
21    agreements  with  other  State  agencies  for  the purpose of
22    conducting all or part of the study.
23        (d)  The Board shall issue a report with  recommendations
24    to the Governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2003.

25        Section  99.  Effective  Date. This Act takes effect upon
26    becoming law.

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