Bill Text: NH SB260 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishing the New Hampshire pharmaceutical assistance pilot program for seniors and making an appropriation therefor.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-12-18 - To Be Inexpedient to Legislate, Senate Rule 3-23, Adjournment 09/25/2019; [SB260 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-SB260-Amended.html
SB 260-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/14/2019 0836s
03/14/2019 0972s
2019 SESSION
19-1099
05/01
SENATE BILL 260-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Rep. Merchant, Sull. 4
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes the New Hampshire pharmaceutical assistance pilot program for seniors, a one year pilot program to pay out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for eligible seniors who have reached the gap in standard Medicare Part D coverage. The bill also makes an appropriation to the department of health and human services to fund the pilot program.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/14/2019 0836s
03/14/2019 0972s 19-1099
05/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Statement of Purpose. The purpose of this act is to assist lower income seniors with prescription drug costs when they reach the coverage limit for prescription drugs under the Medicare Part D program. Since most Medicare drug plans have a coverage gap, often called the “donut hole,” the general court finds that there is a need for a state assistance plan to supplement or wrap around the benefit available under the federal program to ensure that low income seniors retain access to necessary medication during this gap in coverage.
2 New Subdivision; Department of Health and Human Services; New Hampshire Pharmaceutical Assistance Pilot Program for Seniors. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 77 the following new subdivision:
New Hampshire Pharmaceutical Assistance Pilot Program for Seniors
126-A:78 New Hampshire Pharmaceutical Assistance Pilot Program for Seniors.
I. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall establish a prescription drug assistance pilot program for seniors. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to wraparound or supplement the federal prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part D by paying the out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs for eligible individuals who have reached the coverage gap, known as the donut hole, under Medicare Part D. The pilot program shall be the payer of last resort and shall cover all out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for which assistance is not otherwise available in the coverage gap, known as the donut hole. The pilot program shall be available to the first 1,000 individuals age 65 or older who apply for such assistance, who have a gross annual household income of 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level, and who otherwise meet the eligibility criteria established by the department. Assistance shall be available under the pilot program from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021. The commissioner shall make available an online application, a telephone number for applications and questions, and shall provide written applications upon request. Applications shall include information on income, household size, Medicare Part D enrollment and coverage information, the prescription drugs for which assistance is sought, the age of the applicant, and the location of the applicant. On or before November 1, 2019, the commissioner shall adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to pilot program enrollment, administration, and evaluation.
II. On or before March 1, 2021, the commissioner of the department of health and human services shall submit an evaluation report of the pilot program to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, the governor, the senate finance committee, the house finance committee, the senate health and human services committee, and the house health, human services and elderly affairs committee. The report shall include information regarding the number of applications, age and location of applicants, prescription drugs for which assistance was provided, costs per eligible applicant, likely costs per non-eligible applicant, and descriptions regarding applicant ineligibility.
3 Appropriation; Department of Health and Human Services. For the purpose of funding the prescription drug assistance pilot program for seniors established in section 2 of this act, the sum of $1 for fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 30 days after its passage.
19-1099
1/24/19
SB 260-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| |||
| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Appropriation | $1 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill inserts a new section after RSA 126-A:77 requiring the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a program for prescription drug assistance which supplements the federal prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part D. The program would provide assistance for individuals age 65 or older who have a gross annual household income of 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level and who meet additional criteria established by the Department. The bill also contains an appropriation of $1 for the biennium ending FY 2021 for the purposes of funding the program.
The Department anticipates an indeterminable increase to expenditures, but it is unable to provide cost estimates. It states it cannot accurately determine how many New Hampshire Medicare beneficiaries are both 65 and older and have a gross annual household income of 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level. It is also unable to provide an estimate without knowing what, if any, additional criteria the Department will establish to determine eligibility.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services
