2003 Wisconsin Act 33

33,1003 Section 1003. 40.04 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.04 (3) (c) The department shall advise the investment board and the state treasurer secretary of administration as to the limitations on the amounts of cash to be invested from investment trusts under this subsection in order to maintain the cash balances deemed advisable to meet current annuity, benefit and expense requirements.

33,1004 Section 1004. 40.05 (1) (a) 7. of the statutes is repealed.

33,1005 Section 1005. 40.05 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (1) (b) In lieu of employee payment, the employer may pay all or part of the contributions required by par. (a), but all the payments shall be available for benefit purposes to the same extent as required contributions deducted from earnings of the participating employees. Action to assume employee contributions as provided under this paragraph shall be taken at the time and in the form determined by the governing body of the participating employer. The state shall pay under this paragraph for employees who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111 and for employees whose fringe benefits are determined under s. 230.12 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the state unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111 or unless otherwise determined under s. 230.12. The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall pay under this paragraph for employees who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I of ch. 111 and for employees whose fringe benefits are determined under s. 233.10 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the authority unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I of ch. 111 or unless otherwise determined under s. 233.10. The state shall pay under this paragraph for employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111 and for employees whose fringe benefits are not determined under s. 230.12 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the state unless a different amount is recommended by the secretary of employment relations director of the office of state human resources management and approved by the joint committee on employment relations in the manner provided for approval of changes in the compensation plan under s. 230.12 (3). The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall pay under this paragraph for its employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I of ch. 111 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the authority unless a different amount is established by the board of directors of the authority under s. 233.10.

33,1006 Section 1006. 40.05 (2) (bw) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (2) (bw) The employer contribution rate determined under par. (b) for the University of Wisconsin System shall be adjusted to reflect the cost of granting creditable service under s. 40.02 (17) (i) 40.285 (2) (e) and that rate shall be sufficient to amortize the unfunded prior service liability of the employers over the remainder of the 40-year amortization period under par. (b).

33,1007 Section 1007. 40.05 (2) (g) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (2) (g) 1. A participating employer may make contributions as provided in its compensation agreements for any participating employee in addition to the employer contributions required by this subsection. The additional employer contributions made under this paragraph shall be available for all benefit purposes and shall be administered and invested on the same basis as employee additional contributions made under sub. (1) (a) 5., except that ss. 40.24 (1) (f) and, 40.25 (4), and (6) (a) 3. 40.285 (2) (a) 1. c. do not apply to additional employer contributions made under this paragraph.

33,1008 Section 1008. 40.05 (4) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4) (a) 2. For an insured employee who is an eligible employee under s. 40.02 (25) (a) 2. or (b) 1m. or 2m., the employer shall pay required employer contributions toward the health insurance premium of the insured employee beginning on the date on which the employee becomes insured. For an insured employee who is currently employed but who is not an eligible employee under s. 40.02 (25) (a) 2. or (b) 1m. or 2m., the employer shall pay required employer contributions toward the health insurance premium of the insured employee beginning on the first day of the 7th month beginning after the date on which the employee begins employment with the state, not including any leave of absence.

33,1009 Section 1009. 40.05 (4) (ag) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

40.05 (4) (ag) Beginning on January 1, 2004, except as otherwise provided in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or V of ch. 111 or s. 230.12 or 233.10 with respect to eligible employees specified in subd. 2. , the employer shall pay for its currently employed insured employees:

1. For insured part-time employees other than employees specified in s. 40.02 (25) (b) 2. and employees of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority , including those in project positions as defined in s. 230.27 (1), who are appointed to work less than 1,566 hours per year, an amount equal to 50% of the employer contribution under subd. 2.

2. For eligible employees not specified in subd. 1., regardless of the plan selected by the employee, not less than 80% of the average premium cost of plans offered in the tier with the lowest employee premium cost under s. 40.51 (6).

33,1010 Section 1010. 40.05 (4) (ar) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4) (ar) The employer shall pay under par. (a) for employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or V of ch. 111 and for employees whose health insurance premium contribution rates are not determined under s. 230.12 or 233.10 an amount equal to the amount specified in par. (ag) unless a different amount is recommended by the secretary of employment relations director of the office of state human resources management and approved by the joint committee on employment relations in the manner provided for approval of changes in the compensation plan under s. 230.12 (3).

33,1011 Section 1011. 40.05 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4) (b) Except as provided under pars. (bc) and (bp), accumulated unused sick leave under ss. 13.121 (4), 36.30, 230.35 (2), 233.10, and 757.02 (5) and subch. I or V of ch. 111 of any eligible employee shall, at the time of death, upon qualifying for an immediate annuity or for a lump sum payment under s. 40.25 (1) or upon termination of creditable service and qualifying as an eligible employee under s. 40.02 (25) (b) 6. or 10., be converted, at the employee's current highest basic pay rate he or she received while employed by the state, to credits for payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of the employee or the employee's surviving insured dependents. Any supplemental compensation that is paid to a state employee who is classified under the state classified civil service as a teacher, teacher supervisor, or education director for the employee's completion of educational courses that have been approved by the employee's employer is considered as part of the employee's basic pay for purposes of this paragraph. The full premium for any eligible employee who is insured at the time of retirement, or for the surviving insured dependents of an eligible employee who is deceased, shall be deducted from the credits until the credits are exhausted and paid from the account under s. 40.04 (10), and then deducted from annuity payments, if the annuity is sufficient. The department shall provide for the direct payment of premiums by the insured to the insurer if the premium to be withheld exceeds the annuity payment. Upon conversion of an employee's unused sick leave to credits under this paragraph or par. (bf), the employee or, if the employee is deceased, the employee's surviving insured dependents may initiate deductions from those credits or may elect to delay initiation of deductions from those credits, but only if the employee or surviving insured dependents are covered by a comparable health insurance plan or policy during the period beginning on the date of the conversion and ending on the date on which the employee or surviving insured dependents later elect to initiate deductions from those credits. If an employee or an employee's surviving insured dependents elect to delay initiation of deductions from those credits, an employee or the employee's surviving insured dependents may only later elect to initiate deductions from those credits during the annual enrollment period under par. (be). A health insurance plan or policy is considered comparable if it provides hospital and medical benefits that are substantially equivalent to the standard health insurance plan established under s. 40.52 (1).

33,1012 Section 1012. 40.05 (4) (bc) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4) (bc) The accumulated unused sick leave of an eligible employee under s. 40.02 (25) (b) 6e. or 6g. shall be converted to credits for the payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of the employee on the date on which the department receives the employee's application for a retirement annuity or for lump sum payment under s. 40.25 (1). The employee's unused sick leave shall be converted at the eligible employee's highest basic pay rate immediately prior to termination of all creditable service he or she received while employed by the state. The full premium for the employee, or for the surviving insured dependents of the employee if the employee later becomes deceased, shall be deducted from the credits until the credits are exhausted and paid from the account under s. 40.04 (10), and then deducted from annuity payments, if the annuity is sufficient. The department shall provide for the direct payment of premiums by the insured to the insurer if the premium to be withheld exceeds the annuity payment.

33,1013 Section 1013. 40.05 (4) (bf) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4) (bf) Any eligible employee who was granted credit under s. 230.35 (1) (gm) for service as a national guard technician, who, on December 31, 1965, had accumulated unused sick leave that was based on service performed in this state as a national guard technician before January 1, 1966, and who is a participating employee or terminated all creditable service after June 30, 1972, or, if the eligible employee is deceased, the surviving insured dependents of the eligible employee, may have that accumulated unused sick leave converted to credits for the payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of the eligible employee or the surviving insured dependents if, not later than November 30, 1996, the eligible employee or the surviving insured dependents submit to the department, on a form provided by the department, an application for the conversion. The application shall include evidence satisfactory to the department to establish the applicant's rights under this paragraph and the amount of the accumulated unused sick leave that is eligible for the conversion. The accumulated unused sick leave shall be converted under this paragraph, at the eligible employee's highest basic pay rate immediately prior to termination of all creditable service he or she received while employed by the state, on the date of conversion specified in par. (b) or on the last day of the 2nd month beginning after the date on which the department receives the application under this paragraph, whichever is later. Deductions from those credits, elections to delay initiation of those deductions and premium payments shall be made as provided in par. (b).

33,1014 Section 1014. 40.05 (4) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4) (bm) Except as provided under par. (bp), accumulated unused sick leave under ss. 36.30 and 230.35 (2) or 233.10 of any eligible employee shall, upon request of the employee at the time the employee is subject to layoff under s. 40.02 (40), be converted at the employee's current highest basic pay rate he or she received while employed by the state to credits for payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of the employee. Any supplemental compensation that is paid to a state employee who is classified under the state classified civil service as a teacher, teacher supervisor or education director for the employee's completion of educational courses that have been approved by the employee's employer is considered as part of the employee's basic pay for purposes of this paragraph. The full amount of the required employee contribution for any eligible employee who is insured at the time of the layoff shall be deducted from the credits until the credits are exhausted, the employee is reemployed, or 5 years have elapsed from the date of layoff, whichever occurs first.

33,1015 Section 1015. 40.05 (4g) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

40.05 (4g) (a) 4. Has received a military leave of absence under s. 230.32 (3) (a) or 230.35 (3), under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111 or under rules promulgated by the secretary of employment relations director of the office of state human resources management or is eligible for reemployment with the state under s. 45.50 after completion of his or her service in the U.S. armed forces.

33,1016 Section 1016. 40.06 (1) (dm) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.06 (1) (dm) Each determination by a department head regarding the classification of a state employee as a protective occupation participant shall be reviewed by the department of employment relations office of state human resources management. A state employee's name may not be certified to the fund as a protective occupation participant under par. (d) until the department of employment relations office of state human resources management approves the determination.

33,1019 Section 1019. 40.23 (2m) (em) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

40.23 (2m) (em) 1. a. Any creditable service forfeited by a participating employee before January 1, 2000, and which is subsequently reestablished by the participating employee under s. 40.25 (6) 40.285 (2) (a), shall be considered to have been performed before January 1, 2000.

33,1020 Section 1020. 40.23 (2m) (em) 1. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

40.23 (2m) (em) 1. b. Any creditable service received under s. 40.25 (7) 40.285 (2) (b), which is based on service performed before January 1, 2000, shall be considered to have been performed before January 1, 2000.

33,1022 Section 1022. 40.25 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.25 (3) Upon administrative approval of payment of an amount under either sub. (1) or (2), the participant's account shall be closed and there shall be no further right, interest or claim on the part of the former participant to any benefit from the Wisconsin retirement system except as provided by subs. sub. (5) and (6) s. 40.285 (2) (a). Any former participant who is subsequently employed by any participating employer shall be treated as a new participating employee for all purposes of this chapter. New accumulations of contributions and credits and the computation of any future benefits shall bear no relationship to any accumulations and credits paid as single sums under sub. (1) or (2).

33,1023 Section 1023. 40.25 (6) of the statutes is repealed.

33,1024 Section 1024. 40.25 (7) of the statutes is repealed.

33,1025 Section 1025. 40.285 of the statutes is created to read:

40.285 Purchase of creditable service. (1) General requirements. (a) Deadline for purchase of creditable service. An application to purchase creditable service must be received by the department, on a form provided by the department, from an applicant who is a participating employee on the day that the department receives the application.

(b) Calculation of creditable service. Creditable service purchased under this section shall be calculated in an amount equal to the year and fractions of a year to the nearest one-hundredth of a year.

(c) Use of creditable service. Credit for service purchased under this section is added to a participant's total creditable service, but may not be treated as service for a particular annual earnings period and does not confer any other rights or benefits.

(d) Applicability of Internal Revenue Code. The crediting of service under this section is subject to any applicable limit or requirement under the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) Conditions for the purchase of different types of creditable service. (a) Forfeited service. 1. A participating employee may purchase creditable service forfeited in the manner specified in subd. 2., subject to all of the following:

a. The participating employee must have at least 3 continuous years of creditable service at the time of application to purchase the creditable service.

b. The number of years that may be purchased may not be greater than the accumulated current creditable service of the participating employee at the date of application, excluding all creditable service purchased under this section or s. 40.02 (17) (b), 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.02 (17) (e), 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.02 (17) (i), 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.02 (17) (k), 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.25 (6), 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. or 40.25 (7), 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., less the number of years of creditable service previously purchased under this paragraph or s. 40.25 (6), 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats.

c. The participating employee pays to the fund an amount equal to the employee's statutory contribution on earnings under s. 40.05 (1) (a) for each year of forfeited service to be purchased, based upon the participating employee's final average earnings, determined as if the employee had retired on the first day of the annual earnings period during which the department receives the application. The amount payable shall be paid in a lump sum payment, except as provided in sub. (4) (b), and no employer may pay any amount payable on behalf of a participating employee.

d. Upon receipt by the fund of the total payment required under this subdivision, the creditable service meeting the conditions and requirements of this paragraph shall be credited to the account of the participating employee making the payment.

2. Creditable service may be purchased under this paragraph if it was forfeited as a result of any of the following:

a. Payment of an amount under s. 40.25 (2).

b. The receipt of a separation or withdrawal benefit under the applicable laws and rules in effect prior to January 1, 1982.

c. Payment of an amount under s. 40.25 (2m), 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1997 stats.

3. Unless otherwise provided by the department by rule, a participating employee may not purchase creditable service under this paragraph more than 2 times in any calendar year.

(b) Other governmental service. 1. Each participating employee whose creditable service terminates on or after May 1, 1992, and who has performed service, other than military service, as an employee of the federal government or a state or local governmental entity in the United States, other than a participating employer, that is located within or outside of this state, or each participating employee whose creditable service terminates on or after May 4, 1994, and who has performed service as an employee for an employer who was not at the time a participating employer but who subsequently became a participating employer, may receive creditable service for such service if all of the following occur:

a. The participant has at least 3 continuous years of creditable service at the time of application.

b. The number of years of creditable service applied for under this paragraph does not exceed the number of years of creditable service that the participant has at the date of application, excluding all creditable service purchased under this section or s. 40.02 (17) (b), 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.02 (17) (e), 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.02 (17) (i), 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.02 (17) (k), 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., s. 40.25 (6), 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., or s. 40.25 (7), 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats., less the number of years of creditable service previously purchased under this paragraph or s. 40.25 (7), 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 stats.

c. At the time of application, the participant furnishes evidence of such service that is acceptable to the department.

d. Except as provided in sub. (4) (b), at the time of application, the participant pays to the department a lump sum equal to the present value of the creditable service applied for under this paragraph, in accordance with rates actuarially determined to be sufficient to fund the cost of the increased benefits that will result from granting the creditable service under this paragraph. The department shall by rule establish different rates for different categories of participants, based on factors recommended by the actuary.

2. The creditable service granted under this paragraph shall be the same type of creditable service as the type that is granted to participants who are not executive participating employees, elected officials, or protective occupation participants.

3. A participating employee may apply to receive part or all of the creditable service that he or she is eligible to receive under this paragraph.

4. A participant may not receive creditable service under this paragraph for service that is used for the purpose of establishing entitlement to, or the amount of, any other benefit to be paid by any federal, state, or local government entity, except a disability or OASDHI benefit or a benefit paid for service in the national guard.

5. Unless otherwise provided by the department by rule, a participating employee may not purchase creditable service under this paragraph more than 2 times in any calendar year.

(3) Application process. (a) Provision of application forms and estimates. Upon request, the department shall provide a participating employee an application form for the purchase of creditable service under sub. (2) and shall also provide to the participating employee an estimate of the cost of purchasing the creditable service.

(b) Certification of plan-to-plan transfers. Upon request, the department shall provide a participating employee a transfer certification form for payments made by a plan-to-plan transfer under sub. (5) (b). If the participating employee intends to make payments from more than one plan, the participating employee must submit to the department a separate transfer certification form for each plan from which moneys will be transferred.

(4) Payment. (a) Required with application. Except as provided in par. (b), the department may not accept an application for the purchase of creditable service without payment in full of the department's estimated cost of creditable service accompanying the application. A participating employee may also do any of the following:

1. Use his or her accumulated after-tax additional contributions that are made under s. 40.05 (1) (a) 5., including interest, to make payment.

2. Use his or her accumulated contributions, including interest, to a tax sheltered annuity under section 403 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code, to make payment, but only if the participating employee's plan under section 403 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code authorizes the transfer.

(b) Alternate payment options. Notwithstanding par. (a), the department may accept an application under this section without full payment if payment of at least 10% of the department's estimate of the cost of the creditable service is included with the application, in the manner required under par. (a), and the remaining balance is received by the department no later than 90 days after receipt of the application, in the form of a plan-to-plan transfer under sub. (5) (b).

(c) Final cost calculation for purchase of creditable service. The department may audit any transaction to purchase creditable service under this subsection and make any necessary correction to the estimated cost of purchasing the creditable service to reflect the amount due under sub. (2). Except as otherwise provided in sub. (7), if the department determines that the final amount that is due is more than the amount paid to the department, the department shall notify the participant of the amount of the shortfall. If payment of the amount of the shortfall is not received by the department within 30 calendar days after the date on which the department sends notice to the participant, the department shall complete the creditable service purchase transaction by prorating the amount of creditable service that is purchased based on the payment amount actually received and shall notify the participant of the amount and category of service that is credited. The department, by rule, shall specify how a forfeited service purchase is prorated when the participant forfeited service under more than one category of employment under s. 40.23 (2m) (e).

(d) Treatment of amounts to purchase creditable service. All amounts retained by the department for the purchase of creditable service under sub. (2) shall be credited and treated as employee required contributions for all purposes of the Wisconsin retirement system, except that amounts received for the purchase of creditable service under sub. (2) (b) may not be used for the purpose of making calculations under s. 40.23 (3) or 40.73 (1) (am).

(5) Transfer of funds; plan-to-plan transfers. (a) Transfer from certain benefit plans. Subject to any applicable limitations under the Internal Revenue Code, a participating employee may elect to use part or all of any of the following to purchase creditable service under this section:

1. Accumulated after-tax additional contributions, including interest, made under s. 40.05 (1) (a) 5.

2. Accumulated contributions treated by the department as contributions to a tax sheltered annuity under section 403 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code, but only if the employer sponsoring the annuity plan authorizes the transfer.

(b) Other plan-to-plan transfers. The department may also accept a plan to plan transfer from any of the following:

1. Accumulated contributions under a state deferred compensation plan under subch. VII.

2. The trustee of any plan qualified under sections 401 (a) or (k), 403 (b), or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, but only if the purpose of the transfer is to purchase creditable service under this section.

(c) Payment shortfall. Except as otherwise provided in sub. (7), if the department determines that the amount paid to the department to purchase creditable service under this subsection, together with the amount transferred under a plan-to-plan transfer, is less than the amount that is required to purchase the creditable service, the department shall notify the participant of the amount of the shortfall. If payment of the amount of the shortfall is not received by the department within 30 calendar days after the date on which the department sends notice to the participant, the department shall complete the creditable service purchase transaction by prorating the amount of creditable service that is purchased based on the payment amount actually received and shall notify the participant of the amount and category of service that is credited. The department, by rule, shall specify how a forfeited service purchase is prorated when the participant forfeited service under more than one category of employment under s. 40.23 (2m) (e).

(6) Refunds. Except as provided in sub. (7), if the department determines that the amount paid to the department to purchase creditable service, including any amount in a plan-to-plan transfer, is greater than the amount that is required to purchase the creditable service, as determined by the department, the department shall refund the difference. The department shall pay any refund to the participant, up to the amount received from the participant. Any remaining amount shall be returned to the applicable account in the trust fund for transfers under sub. (5) (a) or to the trustee of a plan which was the source of a plan-to-plan transfer under sub. (5) (b). When more than one plan-to-plan transfer occurs, the department may determine which transfer is to be refunded, in whole or part. No funds transferred to the department by a plan-to-plan transfer may be refunded to a participant.

(7) Limit on payment of corrections. The department may not require a participant to pay any shortfall under sub. (4) (c) or (5) (c) that is $25 or less. The department may not pay any refund under sub. (6) if the amount of the refund is $25 or less.

33,1026 Section 1026. 40.51 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.51 (6) This state shall offer to all of its employees at least 2 insured or uninsured health care coverage plans providing substantially equivalent hospital and medical benefits, including a health maintenance organization or a preferred provider plan, if those health care plans are determined by the group insurance board to be available in the area of the place of employment and are approved by the group insurance board. The group insurance board shall place each of the plans into one of 3 tiers established in accordance with standards adopted by the group insurance board. The tiers shall be separated according to the employee's share of premium costs.

33,1026e Section 1026e. 40.51 (10m) of the statutes is amended to read:

40.51 (10m) Any eligible employee, as defined in s. 40.02 (25) (b) 6e. and 6g., may become covered under any health care coverage plan offered under sub. (6), without furnishing evidence of insurability, by submitting to the department, on a form provided by the department and within 30 days after the date on which the department receives the employee's application for a retirement annuity or for a lump sum payment under s. 40.25 (1), an election to obtain the coverage, by obtaining coverage subject to contractual waiting periods and by paying the cost of the required premiums, as provided in s. 40.05 (4) (ad).

33,1026r Section 1026r. 40.53 of the statutes is created to read:

40.53 Pharmacy benefits purchasing pool. (1) In this section:

(a) "Brand name" has the meaning given in s. 450.12 (1) (a).

(b) "Eligible party" means an employer, other than the state, or a person doing business or operating an organization in this state, including a self-employed individual .

(c) "Generic name" has the meaning given in s. 450.12 (1) (b).

(d) "Prescription drug" has the meaning given in s. 450.01 (20).

(2) Beginning on January 1, 2005, the group insurance board shall develop a purchasing pool for pharmacy benefits that uses a preferred list of covered prescription drugs. The pool shall consist of the state and any eligible party that satisfies the conditions established under sub. (3) for joining the pool. The group insurance board shall seek to develop the preferred list of covered prescription drugs under an evidence-based analysis that first identifies the relative effectiveness of prescription drugs within therapeutic classes for particular diseases and conditions and next identifies the least costly prescription drugs, including prescription drugs with generic names that are alternatives to prescription drugs with brand names, among those found to be equally effective.