BILL REQ. #: S-1254.2
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/07/2003. Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to prescription drug access; adding new sections to chapter 41.05 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that prescription
drugs are vital to the health of many Washington residents, but that
their high cost makes access to them increasingly difficult. However,
consolidating the purchasing power of public and private entities and
establishing a single entity to negotiate prices will result in a
reduction in the price of drugs so that every resident of the state
will have access to drugs at the lowest possible cost. The legislature
intends to further this purpose by establishing the prescription drug
access board and consortium of prescription drug purchasing entities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The prescription drug access board is created to negotiate
prescription drug prices on behalf of the consortium of prescription
drug purchasing entities established under section 3 of this act. The
authority shall provide staff and administrative support to the board.
(2) The prescription drug access board shall be composed of seven
members selected as provided in this subsection.
(a) The governor shall select one member of the prescription drug
access board from lists of nominees submitted by statewide
organizations representing each of the following:
(i) One representative of organized labor;
(ii) One member who is a licensed physician;
(iii) One member who is a licensed pharmacist;
(iv) One member representing a health carrier licensed under Title
48 RCW;
(v) One member representing consumers; and
(vi) One member representing business.
(b) The governor shall also appoint one member representing state
agencies that purchase prescription drugs.
(3) No person shall be appointed to or remain on the board who is
employed by a pharmaceutical manufacturer, or who receives or has
received remuneration, grants, or other thing of economic value from a
pharmaceutical manufacturer if it could reasonably be expected that the
remuneration, grant, or thing of economic value would influence the
vote, action, or judgment of the person as a member of the board.
(4) The governor shall appoint the initial members of the
prescription drug access board to staggered terms not to exceed four
years. Members appointed thereafter shall serve two-year terms. A
board member whose term has expired shall continue to serve until his
or her successor is appointed. Vacancies on the board must be filled
for the balance of the unexpired term from nominee lists for the
appropriate category under subsection (2) of this section. Members of
the board shall not be compensated but shall be reimbursed for their
expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(5) Board members shall select a chair and a vice-chair on an
annual basis from the board membership.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The administrator shall establish a broad-based consortium of
prescription drug purchasing entities consisting of state, local, and
private entities to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for
consortium participants, their employees, members, or clients.
(2) Participation by local governments or private entities is
purely voluntary. The administrator may charge reasonable
administrative fees to those entities who choose to participate in the
consortium.
(3) Unaffiliated individuals who lack prescription drug coverage
following payment of a reasonable annual enrollment fee shall receive
reduced costs comparable to those negotiated by the consortium for its
preferred prescription drugs.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW
to read as follows:
The consolidated prescription drug purchasing account is created in
the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from fees under
section 3 of this act must be deposited into the account. Expenditures
from the account may be used only for the purposes of sections 2 and 3
of this act. Only the administrator or the administrator's designee
may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to
allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is
not required for expenditures.