H-1330.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1753

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Ballasiotes, Darneille, Skinner, Cody, Schual‑Berke, Campbell and Tokuda

Read first time 02/02/2001.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Establishing a medication outreach program.

    AN ACT Relating to the medication outreach program; and adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.09 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall establish a medication outreach program.  The medication outreach program shall:

    (a) Identify and assist eligible persons who are sixty-five years old and older in enrolling in the state medical assistance program under this chapter; and

    (b) Assist residents of the state of Washington in obtaining free or low-cost prescription medications or nonprescription medications from private and public sources that offer this assistance.  Medication outreach program assistance should include phone numbers for sources of assistance, instructional material for completing eligibility forms, and generally evaluating the possibility of an individual obtaining assistance.

    (2) As part of the medication outreach program, the department must operate and maintain a toll-free telephone number that will act as a clearinghouse for information related to the purposes of the medication outreach program.

    (3) When establishing the portion of the medication outreach program dealing with obtaining free or low-cost medication, the department must consult with a statewide organization that represents physicians and a national organization that represents pharmaceutical manufacturers that offer free or low-cost medication assistance.

                            --- END ---