Share:
Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 4, 2018 03:23 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Medicaid Managed Care Organizations Access to Prescription Drug Monitoring Program |
| In 2014, the General Assembly took the first steps in addressing the heroin and opioid epidemic by passing Act 191 of 2014. Under Act 191, the Commonwealth established the Pennsylvania Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. This program was designed to prevent and limit prescription drug abuse, a proven factor which can lead to heroin use and addiction, by giving prescribers and dispensers more information on those seeking prescription drugs. Building off this bipartisan reform, I plan to re-introduce House Bill 1532 of last session, which would save significant taxpayer resources while helping the state to better address the opioid and heroin epidemic. As proposed, my legislation would allow Medicaid Managed Care Organizations to have access to the information in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. By providing these organizations access to the program, the Commonwealth will be able to better identify potential prescription drug abuse among individuals enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program. Additionally, this proposal will save taxpayer money in the short term by identifying waste and prescription drug abuse within Medicaid and it will save taxpayer money in the future by reducing the need for drug treatment and rehabilitation. Please join me and co-sponsor this legislation to help address the opioid abuse and save taxpayer money. |
Introduced as SB432