2015 -- S 1016

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LC002957

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE

COMMISSIONER TO STUDY THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGES TO

PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN FORMULARIES AND ASSESS THE IMPACT ON PERSONS

WITH CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS

     Introduced By: Senator Elizabeth A. Crowley

     Date Introduced: June 24, 2015

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

     WHEREAS, One of the tools most frequently used by drug plans to manage utilization

and spending among Medicare beneficiaries is multi-tiered formularies. Tiered copayment

formularies are designed to provide financial incentives for enrollees to use generic or preferred

brand named drugs, curtail the use of drugs with little therapeutic value, and limit plan financial

exposure; and

     WHEREAS, Some studies have found that multi-tiered plans have also been found to

lead to lower rates of use, and average total spending for drugs taken to treat chronic conditions

such as diabetes decrease when generic substitutes are available; and

     WHEREAS, Persons with chronic medical conditions may have prescriptions for which

there are no generics available and a shift in cost from a preferred brand named drug to a

nonpreferred brand named drug may become cost prohibitive; and

     WHEREAS, Ample notification of a change in prescription drug plan formularies may

assist persons with chronic medical conditions by providing time to research alternative drug

plans, offsetting increased costs through mail order subscription and/or purchasing and

researching other cost-savings opportunities; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner to study and make

a comprehensive analysis of notification requirements for changes to prescription drug plan

formularies, assess the impact on persons with chronic medical conditions, and provide a report to

the General Assembly on or before February 1, 2016; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Health Insurance

Commissioner.

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LC002957

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