AB132: Bill Text

LRB-0185/6

DAK/ISR/MGG:wlj&cjs:rs

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Assembly BILL 132

February 19, 2001 - Introduced by Representatives Krusick, Balow, Berceau, Black, Bock, Boyle, Carpenter, Coggs, Colon, Gronemus, Hebl, Huber, Hubler, Kreuser, Krug, La Fave, Lassa, J. Lehman, Meyerhofer, Miller, Morris-Tatum, Plale, Plouff, Pocan, Reynolds, Richards, Riley, Ryba, Schneider, Schooff, Seratti, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Staskunas, Steinbrink, Travis, Turner, Wasserman, Williams, Wood and Young, cosponsored by Senators Robson, Breske, Burke, Decker, Erpenbach, George, Grobschmidt, A. Lasee, Plache and Risser, by request of Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups, American Association of Retired Persons, Wisconsin Citizen Action, Franklin Senior Citizens, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Police Association, Oilgear Retirees, Wisconsin Alzheimers Association Chapter Network, Wisconsin Council of Senior Citizens, Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, Wisconsin Homecare Organization, Wisconsin Retired Educators Association,. Referred to Committee on Health.

AB132,2,2 An Act to amend 49.47 (4) (b) 2m. b., 49.47 (4) (b) 2r., 49.47 (4) (b) 2w., 49.47 (4) (b) 3., 49.47 (4) (c) 1., 49.47 (4) (c) 3. and 49.47 (4) (i) 2. (intro.); and to create 20.435 (4) (bv), 20.435 (4) (j), 20.435 (4) (jb), 49.47 (4) (aq), 49.688 and 100.31 (2m) of the statutes; relating to: expanding medical assistance income eligibility requirements for individuals who are elderly, blind, or disabled; requiring pharmacies and pharmacists, as a condition of medical assistance participation, to charge elderly persons for prescription drugs no more than specific amounts; specifying requirements for rebate agreements between the department of health and family services and drug manufacturers; requiring an annual report on the sale and pricing of certain drugs and programs that offer discounts on drugs to consumers; requiring the exercise of rule-making authority; making appropriations; and providing penalties.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current state law, pharmacies and pharmacists that are certified providers of medical assistance (MA) services are reimbursed, at a rate established by the department of health and family services (DHFS), for providing certain prescription drugs to MA recipients. Under current federal law, persons entitled to coverage under part B of medicare do not receive coverage for prescription drugs for outpatient care as a benefit.

Under current law, an individual who is 65 years of age or older, blind, or permanently disabled, is eligible to receive MA if he or she meets certain income and asset requirements. Currently, to satisfy the income requirements for MA eligibility, an individual who is 65 years of age or older, blind, or permanently disabled must have an income that does not exceed 133.33% of the maximum payment amount under the former aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) program or the combined benefit amount available under the federal supplemental security income (SSI) program.

Currently, a seller who sells drugs that are on the list of therapeutically equivalent drugs published by the federal food and drug administration to any purchaser in this state, who in turn sells the drugs to consumers, must offer the drugs to all such purchasers. These sellers must also offer the same prices, rebates, or similar incentives for purchasing these drugs to all of these purchasers.

Beginning January 1, 2002, this bill increases to 100% of the federal poverty level the maximum income level for eligibility for MA for individuals 65 years of age or older, blind, or permanently disabled.

The bill provides that, beginning January 1, 2002, persons who have applied for and have been found by DHFS to be eligible for prescription drug assistance and who have paid an annual enrollment fee of $25 may use a card, issued by DHFS, to obtain certain prescription drugs for outpatient care at a rate that is not more than the medical assistance rate plus 5%, plus a pharmacy dispensing fee. After an eligible person has paid a deductible by expending $500 in a 12-month period for prescription drugs at this reduced rate, the person may obtain additional prescription drugs in that period by paying a copayment of $5 for each generic drug and a copayment of $10 for each drug that is not a generic drug. Persons who are eligible to obtain prescription drugs for these reduced charges are state residents who are at least 65 years of age, are not MA recipients, and have household incomes, as determined by DHFS, that do not exceed 300% of the federal poverty line for a family the size of the persons' eligible families. Persons who are otherwise eligible but who have household incomes that do not exceed 175% of the federal poverty line for a family the size of the persons' eligible families may obtain prescription drugs by paying the $5 and $10 copayments without first paying the $500 deductible. Persons who are otherwise eligible but who have household incomes that exceed 300% of the federal poverty line for a family the size of the persons' eligible families must first, in a 12-month period, pay for prescription drugs, at market rate, a deductible that equals the difference between the person's annual household income and 300% of the federal poverty line; after this is paid, the persons must pay an additional $500 deductible for prescription drugs at the reduced rate; and the persons may then obtain additional prescription drugs in the remaining amount of the 12-month period by paying the generic and nongeneric copayments. As a condition of participation by a pharmacy or pharmacist in the MA program, the pharmacy or pharmacist may not charge persons who are eligible for prescription drug assistance more than these amounts; as a part of the costs chargeable for the deductible, the pharmacy or pharmacist may include a dispensing fee but may not charge a dispensing fee after the deductible is met. If a person who is eligible has available coverage for prescription drugs, the program does not apply to the costs for prescription drugs available under that coverage.

Under the bill, DHFS or an entity with which DHFS contracts must provide to drug manufacturers material designed for use in entering into rebate agreements that are modeled on federal medicaid rebate agreements, under which the manufacturer must make payments to the state treasurer for deposit in the general fund for the manufacturer's drugs that are prescribed and purchased under the program. The amount of the rebate payment under the agreement is required to be determined by the method that is specified under the federal medicaid rebate agreements. The amounts of the rebate payments must, in turn, together with general purpose revenues under a sum sufficient appropriation created under the bill, be paid by DHFS to pharmacies or pharmacists that have reduced charges for prescription drugs for the eligible persons. Payment is at the MA rate plus 5%, minus any copayment made, plus a dispensing fee.

Under the bill, DHFS is authorized to enter into a contract with an entity to perform DHFS' duties and exercise its powers, other than rule making, under the prescription drug assistance program. DHFS must, under the bill, promulgate rules that specify the criteria to be used to determine household income for persons eligible for prescription drug assistance. Prescription drugs for which the reduced charges must be made are those that are available as an MA benefit and that are manufactured by a manufacturer that enters into a rebate agreement with DHFS. DHFS must calculate and transmit to pharmacies and pharmacists that participate in the MA program the prices at the MA rate plus 5% that must be charged to certain eligible persons in meeting the deductible for prescription drugs and must periodically update this information and transmit the updated information to pharmacies and pharmacists. DHFS must monitor compliance by pharmacies and pharmacists with the requirement to charge eligible persons for the specified prescription drugs at the reduced amounts and annually report to the legislature concerning the compliance. DHFS also must promulgate rules that establish prohibitions against fraud that are substantially similar to MA fraud provisions; the bill specifies penalties applicable to violations of these prohibitions.

If federal law is changed to provide coverage for outpatient prescription drugs as a benefit under medicare or another program, DHFS must provide a report to the legislature that analyzes the differences between the federal program and the program under the bill and that provides recommendations concerning alignment, if any, of the differences. The bill appropriates $1,000,000 in general purpose revenues in fiscal year 2001-02 to DHFS for administration of the program. Further, the bill appropriates $1,000,000 in general purpose revenues to the joint committee on finance and authorizes DHFS to submit a proposal for review and approval by the department of administration and by the joint committee on finance for expenditure of these moneys.

Lastly, the bill requires that the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection (DATCP) prepare an annual report to be submitted to the governor and the legislature on how sellers have complied with requirements and on whether state retailers have passed on to consumers any savings resulting from these pricing requirements. The report must also describe programs that offer discounts on drugs to consumers and DATCP must publicize these programs to consumers.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB132, s. 1 Section 1. 20.435 (4) (bv) of the statutes is created to read:

AB132,4,4 20.435 (4) (bv) Prescription drug assistance for elderly; aids. A sum sufficient for payment to pharmacies and pharmacists under s. 49.688 (7) for prescription drug assistance for elderly persons.

AB132, s. 2 Section 2. 20.435 (4) (j) of the statutes is created to read:

AB132,4,9 20.435 (4) (j) Prescription drug assistance for elderly; manufacturer rebates. All moneys received from rebate payments by manufacturers under s. 49.688 (6), to be used for payment to pharmacies and pharmacists under s. 49.688 (7) for prescription drug assistance for elderly persons.

AB132, s. 3 Section 3. 20.435 (4) (jb) of the statutes is created to read:

AB132,4,13 20.435 (4) (jb) Prescription drug assistance for elderly; enrollment fees. All moneys received from payment of enrollment fees under s. 49.688 (3), to be used for administration of the program under s. 49.688.

AB132, s. 4 Section 4. 49.47 (4) (aq) of the statutes is created to read:

AB132,5,6 49.47 (4) (aq) 1. Subject to subd. 2., an individual who does not meet the limitation on income under par. (c) is eligible for medical assistance if the individual's income does not exceed 100% of the federal poverty level, and the individual is 65 years of age or older or is blind or totally and permanently disabled, as defined under federal Title XVI.

AB132,5,10 2. If a federal waiver is necessary to provide medical assistance to individuals specified in subd. 1., the department shall request a waiver from the secretary of the federal department of health and human services before providing medical assistance under this paragraph.

AB132, s. 5 Section 5. 49.47 (4) (b) 2m. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,5,14 49.47 (4) (b) 2m. b. For persons who are eligible under par. (a) 3. or 4. or (aq), motor vehicles are exempt from consideration as an asset to the same extent as provided under 42 USC 1381 to 1385.

AB132, s. 6 Section 6. 49.47 (4) (b) 2r. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,5,19 49.47 (4) (b) 2r. For a person who is eligible under par. (a) 3. or 4. or (aq), the value of any burial space or agreement representing the purchase of a burial space held for the purpose of providing a place for the burial of the person or any member of his or her immediate family.

AB132, s. 7 Section 7. 49.47 (4) (b) 2w. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,5,23 49.47 (4) (b) 2w. For a person who is eligible under par. (a) 3. or 4. or (aq), life insurance with cash surrender values if the total face value of all life insurance policies is not more than $1,500.

AB132, s. 8 Section 8. 49.47 (4) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,6,5 49.47 (4) (b) 3. For a person who is eligible under par. (a) 3. or 4. or (aq), funds set aside to meet the burial and related expenses of the person and his or her spouse in an amount not to exceed $1,500 each, minus the sum of the cash value of any life insurance excluded under subd. 2w. and the amount in any irrevocable burial trust under s. 445.125 (1) (a).

AB132, s. 9 Section 9. 49.47 (4) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,6,18 49.47 (4) (c) 1. Except as provided in par. pars. (am) and (aq) and as limited by subd. 3., eligibility exists if income does not exceed 133 1/3% 133.33% of the maximum aid to families with dependent children payment under s. 49.19 (11) for the applicant's family size or the combined benefit amount available under supplemental security income under 42 USC 1381 to 1383c and state supplemental aid under s. 49.77 whichever is higher. In this subdivision "income" includes earned or unearned income that would be included in determining eligibility for the individual or family under s. 49.19 or 49.77, or for the aged, blind , or disabled under 42 USC 1381 to 1385. "Income" does not include earned or unearned income which would be excluded in determining eligibility for the individual or family under s. 49.19 or 49.77, or for the aged, blind, or disabled individual under 42 USC 1381 to 1385.

AB132, s. 10 Section 10. 49.47 (4) (c) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,6,23 49.47 (4) (c) 3. Except as provided in par. pars. (am) and (aq), no person is eligible for medical assistance under this section if the person's income exceeds the maximum income levels that the U.S. department of health and human services sets for federal financial participation under 42 USC 1396b (f).

AB132, s. 11 Section 11. 49.47 (4) (i) 2. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB132,7,3 49.47 (4) (i) 2. (intro.) Notwithstanding par. (b) 2r. and 3., a person who is described in par. (a) 3. or 4. or (aq) is not eligible for benefits under this section if any of the following criteria is met:

AB132, s. 12 Section 12. 49.688 of the statutes is created to read:

AB132,7,6 49.688 Prescription drug assistance for low-income elderly persons. (1) In this section:

AB132,7,7 (a) "Generic name" has the meaning given in s. 450.12 (1) (b).

AB132,7,9 (b) "Poverty line" means the nonfarm federal poverty line for the continental United States, as defined by the federal department of labor under 42 USC 9902 (2).

AB132,7,13 (c) "Prescription drug" means a prescription drug, as defined in s. 450.01 (20), that is included in the drugs specified under s. 49.46 (2) (b) 6. h. and that is manufactured by a manufacturer that enters into a rebate agreement in force under sub. (6).

AB132,7,14 (d) "Prescription order" has the meaning given in s. 450.01 (21).

AB132,7,16 (e) "Program payment rate" means the rate of payment made for the identical drug specified under s. 49.46 (2) (b) 6. h., plus 5%.

AB132,7,18 (2) (a) A person to whom all of the following applies is eligible to purchase a prescription drug for the amounts specified in sub. (5) (a) 1. and 2.: