HB 2431 - DIGEST

(SEE ALSO PROPOSED 2ND SUB)

     Declares an intent to develop a comprehensive prescription drug education and utilization system in Washington state that will improve prescription drug prescribing practices, increase consumer understanding of and compliance with appropriate use of prescription drugs, and improve prescription drug purchasing through a sound evidence-based process that evaluates the therapeutic value and cost-effectiveness of prescription drugs.

     Requires the administrator, in concert with other state agencies involved in state purchased health care, to begin implementation of a preferred drug program by January 1, 2003.

     Requires the administrator to design, in concert with state agencies involved in state-purchased health care, a uniform drug utilization review program for state-purchased health care.  Each state agency that purchases or provides health care services must adopt the uniform drug utilization review program and may implement it directly or by contract or interagency agreement.

     Provides that the program must include but is not limited to prescription drug review, management, and education, including prospective, concurrent, and retrospective review, to improve the quality of pharmaceutical care by ensuring that prescription drugs provided through state-purchased health care programs advance quality clinical outcomes and are appropriate, medically necessary, and not likely to produce adverse medical results.

     Authorizes the administrator to engage in consolidated prescription drug purchasing.  The authority granted the administrator by this provision shall be liberally construed to achieve the purposes of this act.

     Provides that, within one year following initial adoption of the preferred drug list for state-purchased health care, units of local government, private entities, and individuals who lack or are underinsured for prescription drug coverage must be provided an opportunity to participate in the purchasing cooperative resulting from adoption of the preferred drug list.

     Requires the administrator, in concert with agencies involved in state-purchased health care, to design and implement at least two, but not more than five, pilot disease management programs for persons covered through state-purchased health care programs.  The programs must begin operation by July 1, 2003.

     Provides that any savings to health care benefit programs administered by the public employees' benefits board that result from implementation of the prescription drug education and utilization system under this act must be deposited into the public employees' and retirees' insurance account established under RCW 41.05.120.

     Requires that, by January 1, 2003, the administrator must submit to the governor and the health care and fiscal committees of the legislature a progress report regarding the implementation of the prescription drug education and utilization system.

     Requires that, beginning January 1, 2003, and by January 1st of each year through 2005, the administrator must submit to the governor and the health care and fiscal committees of the legislature a report on the impacts of the prescription drug education and utilization system.

     Provides that, by January 1, 2003, the secretary of the department of social and health services shall submit to the governor and the health care and fiscal committees of the legislature a report on implementation of the therapeutic consultation program.