| R 421 |
| 2015 -- S 1016 Enacted 06/24/2015 |
| 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 |
| 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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