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HJM015................................................by HEALTH AND WELFARE FREE MEDICATION PROGRAM - Stating findings of the Legislature and urging Congress to mandate a standardized application for use by pharmaceutical companies in determining eligibility for free medications from the companies. 02/13 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing 02/14 Rpt prt - to Health/Wel
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]] Fifty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2006IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 15 BY HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE 1 A JOINT MEMORIAL 2 TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS 3 ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF 4 IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. 5 We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 6 State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-eighth 7 Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that: 8 WHEREAS, there are an estimated 148,000 adults in Idaho without health 9 care coverage; and 10 WHEREAS, 286,000 Idaho adults live in households with incomes of less than 11 or equal to 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG); and 12 WHEREAS, 78,000 or nearly 30 percent of the households at or below 180 13 percent of the FPG are without health insurance; and 14 WHEREAS, many of these individuals qualify for patient assistance programs 15 available through pharmaceutical companies; and 16 WHEREAS, health care providers throughout Idaho, including hospitals, com- 17 munity health centers, residency programs, free clinics, physicians' offices, 18 county governments and other community agencies, have shown a commitment to 19 assisting patients in accessing these programs because the application process 20 is burdensome and time-consuming; and 21 WHEREAS, depending upon the medication needed, there are approximately 191 22 programs and forms from the various pharmaceutical companies that must be com- 23 pleted in order to access these medications; and 24 WHEREAS, each patient averages between three to five medications and some 25 have as many as nine medications; and 26 WHEREAS, the average savings in prescription costs to these patients is 27 estimated to be approximately $2,400 annually; and 28 WHEREAS, these prescriptions represent preventive medications, the avail- 29 ability of which reduces additional costs in the health care safety net and 30 are lifesaving in certain circumstances; and 31 WHEREAS, the most common types of medications requested are hypertension 32 medications and antidepressants; and 33 WHEREAS, the estimated time to complete each application for each patient 34 by hand is thirty minutes to one hour; and 35 WHEREAS, there would be considerable time saved for health care providers 36 in Idaho and increased access to necessary prescriptions for low-income 37 Idahoans if the process were streamlined; and 38 WHEREAS, it is generally estimated that a standardized application for 39 these prescriptions would reduce the time necessary to complete applications 40 for any individual by half, based upon experience using electronic software 41 that completes the process at a cost. 42 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses- 43 sion of the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and 44 the Senate concurring therein, that we urge Congress to mandate a standardized 2 1 application for use by pharmaceutical companies in determining eligibility for 2 free medications from the pharmaceutical companies. 3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representa- 4 tives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this 5 Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Repre- 6 sentatives of Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 7 State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE RS 16012 This legislation urges Congress to mandate a standardized application for use by pharmaceutical companies in determining eligibility for free medications from the pharmaceutical companies. FISCAL NOTE No impact to the general fund. Contact Name: Rep. Margaret Henbest Phone: 332-1000 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE HJM 15