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2004 SESSION

049513268
HOUSE BILL NO. 1202
Offered January 14, 2004
Prefiled January 14, 2004
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-23.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the development of a single application form for pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards.
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Patron-- Cline
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Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 32.1-23.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 32.1-23.1. Alternative delivery of certain information; Commissioners to develop single application form for pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards.

A. The Commissioner shall create links from the Virginia Department of Health's website to the Virginia Department for the Aging's website and its affiliated sites pertaining to pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. The Commissioner of the Department for the Aging shall cooperate with the Commissioner of Health by ensuring that such information is available on the Department for the Aging's website.

B. The Commissioner shall ensure that all clinical sites administered by local health departments are provided with adequate information concerning the services of the Virginia Department for the Aging, including, but not limited to, its toll-free telephone number and its website information on pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards.

C. The Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging shall coordinate the dissemination of information to the public regarding any pharmaceutical discount purchasing card programs while maintaining a neutral posture regarding such programs.

D. The Commissioner shall establish a toll-free telephone number, to be administered by the Virginia Department of Health, which shall provide recorded information concerning services available from the Department for the Aging, the Virginia Area Agencies on Aging, and other appropriate organizations for senior citizens.

E. In addition to the responsibilities set forth in subsections A through D, the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging shall develop a single application form for Virginians to use to seek eligibility for various pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards.

The Commissioners shall obtain copies of the application forms used by such pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards in Virginia, compile a list of the various information required to complete such application forms, identify common elements, and analyze the forms for readability and simplicity. Upon completion of this analysis, the Commissioners shall then design a single, concise application form that is logically formatted, written in clear and easily comprehensible language, and covers any and all data that may be required to obtain eligibility for any such pharmaceutical assistance program or pharmaceutical discount purchasing card.

Upon completion of the design for the single concise application form for pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards in Virginia, the Commissioners shall place such application form on their respective departments' websites and shall cooperate with the programs and pharmaceutical companies to encourage the use of the design throughout the Commonwealth.

In order to perform the duties provided in this subsection, the Commissioners may appoint an advisory task force of stakeholders to assist them in this endeavor.