HB 1774-S2 - DIGEST

(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 2ND SUBSTITUTE)

     Establishes the senior pharmacy assistance program.

     Applies to individuals sixty-five years old and older with a household income above the eligibility standard for medicaid categorically needy coverage and below three hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines are eligible for the senior pharmacy assistance program if they:

     (1) Do not qualify for any other local, state medicaid categorically needy program, or federal prescription drug program;

     (2) Are not covered under any private prescription reimbursement plan;

     (3) Have not voluntarily canceled a local, state, or federal prescription drug program or a private prescription reimbursement plan within the six months prior to application for enrollment in the senior pharmacy assistance program;

     (4) Pay a coinsurance amount of ten dollars, for eligible individuals with an income above the eligibility standard for medicaid categorically needy coverage and up to one hundred twenty-five percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and

     (5) Pay a coinsurance amount of twenty percent, for eligible individuals with an income above one hundred twenty-five and up to three hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

     Declares that eligible individual may receive a maximum annual drug benefit of one thousand five hundred dollars.

     Directs the administrator of the Washington state health care authority to design a catastrophic prescription drug benefit for the senior pharmacy assistance program and present it to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives no later than December 15, 2001.

     Provides that, if the state does not receive federal funding for the purposes of section 3 of this act by March 1, 2002, this act is null and void.