13-R400

2013 -- H 5372 SUBSTITUTE A

Enacted 07/01/13

 

 

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

REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS FOR GENERIC DRUGS PROVIDED TO RHODE ISLAND MEDICAID RECIPIENTS

     

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Williams, Marcello, Corvese, Hearn, and Ucci

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2013

 

 

     WHEREAS, With every prescription filled with a generic, a consumer receives the same

medicine as the brand name, with the same quality and same result, but at a much lower cost;

WHEREAS, For more than twenty-five (25) years, America's generic pharmaceutical

industry has been providing the food and drug administration "(FDA)" approved generic versions

of brand name medicines at a savings to consumers of thirty percent (30%) to as much as eighty

percent (80%);

     WHEREAS, Millions of Medicaid recipients nationwide are using generics to treat a

variety of medical conditions, including infection, heart disease and cancer;

     WHEREAS, Generics are rigorously tested by the FDA and must prove that they are the

same medicine with the same active ingredient, strength and dosage as their brand name

counterpart;

     WHEREAS, Today, there are thousands of generic drugs available and all are

manufactured and inspected under the same strict quality guidelines as a brand name drug;

WHEREAS, For most brand name products, there are multiple generics available and

these generics can vary greatly in prices;

     WHEREAS, While the state Medicaid program has encouraged the use of generic drugs

by Medicaid recipients and thus generated savings for the state, additional savings may be

generated by establishing a competitive bidding process among generic drug manufacturers; now

therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That the Rhode Island executive and office of health and human services

shall study the feasibility of requiring all generic manufacturers, whose products are provided to

Rhode Island Medicaid recipients, to engage in a competitive bidding process and make a report

to the chair of the house finance committee on or before May 1, 2014; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the secretary of state be, and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the director of the executive office of health

and human services.

     

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LC01079/SUB A

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