Final
BILL SUMMARY for
HB05-1343
HOUSE
COMMITTEE ON
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Votes:
Action Taken:
Adopt L.001. The motion passed without objection.
Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Ap
Pass Without Objection
PASS
02:40 PM -- House Bill 05-1343
Representative Cloer, sponsor, presented the bill creating a pharmaceutical access program and a pharmaceutical assistance program. He answered questions about the bill's impact on Medicaid reimbursement rates for pharmacies. Representative Green commented on factors contributing to the rising costs of pharmaceuticals. Representative Cloer answered questions about the bill's impact on preferred drug lists and dual eligibles and cost-savings associated with the bill.
The following persons testified.
02:52 PM --
Jeannine Dickerhofe, Kaiser Permanente, spoke against the bill. She discussed concerns regarding cuts to pharmacy reimbursement rates.
02:55 PM --
Chris Howes, Colorado Retail Council, spoke against the bill. He stated the bill may create incentives for pharmacists to dispense brand name drugs instead of generic drugs. He also stated the bill would not achieve projected cost-savings. He answered questions about ways to save money on pharmaceuticals, other states' policies, pharmacy profit margins, and the bill's impact on the proportion of generic drugs sold by pharmacies.
03:06 PM --
Val Kalnins, Colorado Pharmacists Society, spoke against the bill. He discussed a State Auditor's report on the Medicaid prescription drug program.
03:10 PM --
Elsie Lacey, Long-term Care Pharmacy Alliance, spoke against the bill. She discussed pharmacy reimbursement rates. She answered questions about the bill's potential impact on her client and amendments she might favor.
03:15 PM --
Fofi Mendez, Rx Plus Pharmacies, spoke against the bill. She discussed reimbursement rates to pharmacies and cuts to those reimbursement rates in prior years. She answered questions about the impact of the new Medicare prescription drug program on the bill's provisions.
03:23 PM --
Chris Habgood, Mental Health Association of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He stated the bill will lead to cost-savings without limiting the availability of prescription drugs.
03:24 PM --
Linda Pryor, Pfizer, discussed research and development done by pharmaceutical manufacturers. She answered questions about cost differences between brand name and generic drugs and the bill's applicability to brand name drugs.
03:39 PM --
Eileen Doherty, Colorado Gerontological Society, spoke in support of the bill. She discussed out-of-pocket costs for consumer prescription drugs, the new Medicare prescription drug program, and the membership of the Gerontological Society.
03:44 PM --
Sue Hall, Colorado Family Physicians, spoke in support of the bill.
03:46 PM
Representative Cloer answered questions from committee members.
03:49 PM --
Barbara Prehmus, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, answered questions about the bill's fiscal note.
03:53 PM --
Becky Richardson, Office of the State Auditor, discussed findings of the 2004 audit of the Medicaid prescription drug program.
04:00 PM
Representative Cloer distributed and discussed L.001 (Attachment A).
BILL:
HB05-1343
TIME:
04:01:19 PM
MOVED:
Cloer
MOTION:
Adopt L.001. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
Frangas
VOTE
Berens
Clapp
Cloer
Green
Lundberg
McGihon
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
Boyd
Not Final
YES:
0
NO:
0
EXC:
0
ABS:
0
FINAL ACTION:
Pass Without Objection
04:02 PM
Representative Cloer and committee members made concluding remarks.
BILL:
HB05-1343
TIME:
04:08:08 PM
MOVED:
Cloer
MOTION:
Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 7-6.
SECONDED:
McGihon
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Clapp
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
No
Lundberg
Yes
McGihon
No
Riesberg
No
Soper
No
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
No
Frangas
Yes
Boyd
No
Final
YES:
7
NO:
6
EXC:
0
ABS:
0
FINAL ACTION:
PASS