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2004 SESSION

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HB 1202 Pharmaceutical assist. programs & discount purchasing cards; dev. of a single applic. form, report.

Introduced by: Benjamin L. Cline | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Promotion of pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. Requires the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging to develop a strategy, in coordination with the Virginia Area Agencies on Aging and other private and nonprofit organizations, for disseminating information to the public concerning the availability of pharmaceutical assistance programs and for training senior citizen volunteers to assist in completing applications for such programs and discount purchasing cards. The bill also requires the Commissioners to disseminate, with such funds as may be made available, information to the public relating to recent congressional actions concerning pharmaceutical benefits to be provided under the Medicare program and how such benefits may help senior citizens with the costs of pharmaceutical benefits. In addition, the two Commissioners will encourage pharmaceutical manufacturers to include application forms for pharmaceutical discount purchasing card programs on their respective websites in a format capable of being downloaded and printed by consumers. The Department for the Aging will include direct links to the forms on its website, when practicable. The bill also requires the Commissioners to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the feasibility of developing a single application form for Virginians to use to seek eligibility for the nearly 50 pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. The bill also requires the Commissioners to disseminate, with such funds as may be made available, information to the public relating to recent congressional actions concerning pharmaceutical benefits to be provided under the Medicare program and how such benefits may help senior citizens with the costs of pharmaceutical benefits. In determining the feasibility, the Commissioners must 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. In order to perform the duties provided in the new subsection, the Commissioners may appoint an advisory task force of stakeholders to assist them.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Promotion of pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. Requires the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging to encourage pharmaceutical manufacturers to include application forms for pharmaceutical discount purchasing card programs on their respective websites in a format capable of being downloaded and printed by consumers. The bill requires the Commissioners to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the feasibility of developing a single application form for Virginians to use to seek eligibility for the nearly 50 pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. In determining the feasibility, the Commissioners must 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. The bill also requires the Commissioners, in coordination with the Virginia Area Agencies on Aging and other organizations to develop a strategy for training senior citizen volunteers to assist in completing applications for pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. In order to perform the duties provided in the new subsection, the Commissioners may appoint an advisory task force of stakeholders to assist them.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Development of single application form for pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. Requires the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging to develop a single application form for Virginians to use to seek eligibility for various pharmaceutical assistance programs and pharmaceutical discount purchasing cards. The Commissioners must 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 must 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 must place such application form on their respective departments' websites and 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 the new subsection, the Commissioners may appoint an advisory task force of stakeholders to assist them in this endeavor.