Bill Text: IL HJR0054 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares commitment to ensuring access to quality health care for patients and healthcare consumers in Illinois, urges the Illinois Congressional delegation to support federal legislation to ensure all copays count, and urges the federal regulators to specifically clarify that all copays count in the 2023 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters and tri-agency guidance.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-10-26 - Referred to Rules Committee [HJR0054 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HJR0054-Introduced.html

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HJ0054 LRB102 21082 ECR 30043 r
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Forty-five percent of Americans have used a
prescription drug in the past 30 days in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Millions of Americans rely on copay assistance
programs to afford their prescription drugs; and
WHEREAS, On average, cost-sharing assistance helped
patients taking HIV or oncology medicines with more than
$1,600 toward their out-of-pocket cost in 2019 and helped
patients taking multiple sclerosis medicines with more than
$2,200; and
WHEREAS, When copay accumulator adjustment programs
prevent any copayment assistance from counting toward a
member's deductible or maximum out-of-pocket requirements, the
result is that patients may be left with insurmountably high
out-of-pocket expenses for their medications; and
WHEREAS, Patients with chronic and rare diseases are
particularly impacted and struggle to afford their specialty
medications; and
WHEREAS, Copay accumulator adjustment programs coupled
with the rise of patient out-of-pocket expenses resulting from

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increased deductibles and co-insurance, accounting for up to
95 percent of patients costs for brand medicines, leads to
patient medication nonadherence; and
WHEREAS, Medication nonadherence has led to between $100
and $300 billion of avoidable health care costs in the United
States annually, due to avoidable hospitalizations and medical
visits; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois passed Public Act 101-0452
(215 ILCS 134/30(d)) to eliminate the burden patients face due
to copay accumulator programs; and
WHEREAS, Public Act 101-0452 passed the Illinois General
Assembly with unanimous support; and
WHEREAS, The law ensures that a health care plan shall
apply any third-party payments, financial assistance,
discount, product vouchers, or any other reduction in
out-of-pocket expenses made by or on behalf of such insured
for prescription drugs toward a covered individual's
deductible, copay, or cost-sharing responsibility or
out-of-pocket maximum associated with the individual's health
insurance; and
WHEREAS, The lack of clarity between federal and state

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laws and regulations has left consumers in a vulnerable
position; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare our commitment to
ensuring access to quality health care for patients and
healthcare consumers in Illinois; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois congressional
delegation to support federal legislation to ensure all copays
count and urge the federal regulators to specifically clarify
that all copays count in the 2023 Notice of Benefit and Payment
Parameters and tri-agency guidance; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the Governor, the Director of the Illinois
Department of Insurance, all Illinois constitutional officers,
and all members of the Illinois congressional delegation in
order to bring further awareness to the importance of access
to healthcare for our residents of the State of Illinois and to
be a model state for the rest of the country.