09-R199

2009 -- S 0893

Enacted 04/28/09

 

 

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL SENATE TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE

UTILIZATION OF ELEANOR SLATER HOSPITAL TO DISSEMINATE PRESCRIPTION

DRUGS TO STATE AND MUNICIPAL WORKERS

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Tassoni, Maselli, and P Fogarty

     Date Introduced: April 28, 2009

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, Providing access to prescription drugs for employees and their families

represents a significant health insurance cost to the State and municipalities; and

     WHEREAS, Many individuals are dependant upon maintenance medications for chronic

diseases; and

     WHEREAS, The state of Rhode Island operates a full service pharmacy at the Eleanor

Slater Hospital that may have the potential to effectively distribute prescription medication to

state and municipal employees while garnering, for the state, dispensation fees and other

pharmacy rebates; and

     WHEREAS, Providing maintenance prescriptions through this pharmacy for state and

municipal employees and their families could ease access and significantly reduce insurance costs

for the State and municipalities; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a Special Senate Task Force be and the same is hereby created

consisting of ten (10) members: three (3) of whom shall be from the Senate, not more than two

(2) from the same political party to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom

shall be the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or designee; one of

whom shall be the Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island, or

designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the State Department of Health, or designee; one

of whom shall represent the RI League of Cities and Towns; one of whom shall represent labor;

one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Mental Health, Retardation, and

Hospitals, or designee; and one of whom shall be the Director of the State Department of

Administration, or designee.

     The purpose of said task force shall be to study all aspects and implications related to the

establishment of a program for the utilization of the Eleanor Slater Hospital pharmacy for the

distribution of prescription drugs to state and municipal employees; to, on or before June 1,

2009, develop a feasibility assessment and initial fiscal impact analysis detailing the costs and

potential savings associated with such a program; to, on or before July 1, 2009, develop an

implementation plan for state employees to voluntarily receive their maintenance prescription

drugs through the Eleanor Slater pharmacy; and to, on or before July 31, 2009, develop an

implementation plan for municipal employees to voluntarily receive their prescription drugs

through the Eleanor Slater pharmacy.

     The membership of said task force shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said Task Force and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the Task Force to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The office of the President of the Senate is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said Task Force; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That said Task Force shall expire on July 31, 2009.

     

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LC02554

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