H-2447.1  _______________________________________________

                 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4409

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Parlette, Cody, Alexander, Conway and Schual‑Berke

Read first time 03/19/1999.  Referred to Rules

Establishing a task force on prescription medication services.

    WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes that the cost of prescription medication is rising dramatically; and

    WHEREAS, Medication interactions and the potential side effects of new medications can force patients to sample several medications until the appropriate medication and dosage are determined; and

    WHEREAS, The state's Medicaid program expends approximately four hundred thirty-six million dollars each biennium on prescription medications; and

    WHEREAS, Medicaid clients are provided with a thirty-day supply of medication which must be discarded if the client has a reaction or intolerance to the medication; and

    WHEREAS, The Legislature finds that a more effective and efficient means of providing prescription medication services to Medicaid clients is necessary to reduce waste and further control the increasing medication costs to the program;

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives, with the Senate concurring, That a joint legislative task force be established to review the current Medicaid prescription medication program and identify areas for increased efficiency within the program, and to evaluate the utilization of high-use, high-cost medications and the length of time such medications are typically prescribed; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That:

    (1) The task force shall have eight members to be appointed as follows:

    (a) Four members of the House of Representatives, two from each of the major caucuses, to be appointed by the Co-Speakers of the House of Representatives; and

    (b) Four members of the Senate, two from each of the major caucuses, appointed by the President of the Senate.

    (2) The task force shall have co-chairs, one to be selected from the House of Representatives and the other from the opposite caucus in the Senate; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall use legislative staff and facilities.  The members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.  All expenses of the task force, including travel, shall be paid jointly by the House of Representatives and the Senate; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall report any preliminary findings and recommendations it makes to the Legislature by September 30, 1999, and shall report any final findings and recommendations it makes to the Legislature by December 15, 1999; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall expire April 1, 2000.

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