House Committee on Health, Insurance, & Environment (04/15/2014)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, INSURANCE, & ENVIRONMENT

Date:	04/15/2014	ATTENDANCE

Time:	12:32 PM to 12:56 PM	Fields	*
		Ginal	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Humphrey	X
		Joshi	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Landgraf	E
	Representative McCann	McNulty	X
		Primavera	X
This Report was prepared by		Singer	X
	Amanda King	Swalm	*
		Schafer	X
		McCann	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB14-1359 HB14-1361		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations

12:32 PM -- HB 14-1359

Representative Ginal presented House Bill 14-1359. The bill requires health insurance carriers providing prescription drug coverage to offer medication synchronization services that align the refill dates for covered persons with multiple prescription medications. Carriers are allowed to develop their own medication synchronization plans, but all plans must:

apply the normal co-payment amount applicable under the health coverage plan when a prescription drug is dispensed in a quantity less than the prescribed amount if certain conditions are met; and
provide a full dispensing fee to pharmacies dispensing medication.

12:36 PM

Representative Ginal responded to questions about whether the bill would apply to state employee health benefit plans.

12:38 PM -- Charlie Sheffield, representing the Colorado Retail Council, testified in support of the bill. He stated that the bill has been discussed with the health plans and that the bill is the least prescriptive as possible. He stated that Medicaid would not be included in the bill at this time. Mr. Sheffield responded to questions about whether the bill would apply to state employee health benefit plans.

12:42 PM -- Val Kalnins, representing the Colorado Pharmacists Society, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the benefits of medication synchronization.

12:44 PM -- Dan Scales, representing Scales Pharmacy, testified in support of the bill. He discussed his experience as a pharmacist with medication synchronization.

12:49 PM

Mr. Scales and Mr. Sheffield responded to questions about what will happen when additional medications are prescribed after a synchronization has already occurred. Mr. Sheffield responded to questions about whether the bill would apply to mail-order prescriptions.

12:50 PM -- Brad Young, representing Rx Plus Pharmacies, testified in support of the bill.

12:51 PM

Representative Ginal made concluding remarks about the bill.


BILL:	HB14-1359
TIME:	12:52:51 PM
MOVED:	Ginal
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 14-1359 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	Schafer
		VOTE
	Fields	Yes
	Ginal	Yes
	Humphrey	Yes
	Joshi	Yes
	Landgraf	Excused
	McNulty	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	McCann	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:53 PM -- HB 14-1361

Representative Singer and Representative McNulty presented House Bill 14-1361, concerning the authority of the state licensing authority to establish equivalencies for retail marijuana. The committee heard public testimony on the bill on April 10, 2014. Representative Fields commented on the bill.


BILL:	HB14-1361
TIME:	12:54:41 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 14-1361 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	McNulty
		VOTE
	Fields	Yes
	Ginal	Yes
	Humphrey	Yes
	Joshi	Yes
	Landgraf	Excused
	McNulty	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	McCann	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:56 PM

The committee adjourned.