SB 5030-S - DIGEST

(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)

     Directs the department to award prescription drug information and education grants to local government or nonprofit organizations for the design and implementation of programs intended to inform and train persons age sixty-five and older in the safe and appropriate use of prescription and nonprescription medications.

     Creates the Washington medications outreach initiative within the department.  The initiative shall:  (1) Identify and assist eligible persons age sixty-five and older in enrolling in the state medical assistance program under this chapter; and

     (2) Assist persons in procuring free or low-cost medications from the drug assistance programs of pharmaceutical manufacturers.

     Authorizes the department to implement any senior prescription drug assistance program authorized and funded by the federal government in accordance with the standards established under that authorization.

     Directs the department to submit and, upon approval, implement a section 1115 demonstration waiver request to the federal health care financing administration to establish a prescription drug assistance program.

     Provides that proprietary information submitted upon request of the administrator by any insurer, vendor, or other person or entity for the purpose of analyzing and developing cost containment options, delivery alternatives, and consolidated purchasing for state-purchased health care programs may be withheld at any time from public inspection when necessary to preserve trade secrets or prevent unfair competition.

     Provides that, no later than January 1, 2002, the administrator of the health care authority shall submit to the governor and the legislature a progress report regarding the implementation of efforts to coordinate state agency drug purchasing pursuant to RCW 41.05.021(1)(b)(iii), including an explanation of and rationale for the strategies developed, and the timeline for implementation.

     Appropriates the sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, from the general fund to the department of social and health services, all of which the department of social and health services must award to local governments and nonprofit organizations under this act.

     Appropriates the sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, from the general fund to the department of social and health services, all of which the department of social and health services must award to local governments and nonprofit organizations under this act.