PRINTER'S NO. 1584
No. 1326 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY DONATUCCI, RIEGER, McMONAGLE AND OLIVER, JULY 1,
1983
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, JULY 1, 1983
AN ACT
1 Establishing a program of pharmaceutical assistance to the aged.
2 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
3 hereby enacts as follows:
4 Section 1. Short title.
5 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Senior
6 Citizens Prescription Drug Assistance Act.
7 Section 2. Definitions.
8 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
9 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10 context clearly indicates otherwise:
11 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare.
12 "Eligible claimant." Any single resident of this
13 Commonwealth 65 years of age or older whose annual income is
14 less than the maximum annual income, or any married resident
15 whose annual income is less than the maximum annual income,
16 shall be eligible for the program if the person is not otherwise
17 qualified for assistance under the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
1 No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code.
2 "Maximum annual income." That annual income amount as
3 determined by the department. The amount shall not exceed $9,000
4 in the case of single persons nor $12,000 in the case of the
5 combined annual income of married persons.
6 "Prescription drugs." All legend drugs, insulin, insulin
7 syringes and insulin needles.
8 "Program." The program of pharmaceutical assistance to the
9 aged as established by this act.
10 "Reasonable cost." The cost of prescription drugs and a
11 dispensing fee, as determined by the department.
12 Section 3. Payments under program.
13 The program shall consist of payments to pharmacies on behalf
14 of eligible claimants for the reasonable cost of prescription
15 drugs which exceed a $1 copayment per prescription or per
16 purchase of insulin, paid by each eligible claimant.
17 Section 4. Coordination of benefits.
18 Any otherwise eligible claimant whose prescription drug costs
19 are wholly covered by any other plan of assistance or insurance
20 shall be ineligible for assistance under this act. Any otherwise
21 eligible claimant whose prescription drug costs are covered in
22 part by any other plan of assistance or insurance may be
23 required to receive reduced assistance under the provisions of
24 this act.
25 Section 5. Funding.
26 (a) Lottery fund.--Funding for the program established by
27 this act shall be on an annual basis, from any excess funds
28 existing in the State Lottery Fund after payment of all
29 obligations arising under the act of March 11, 1971 (P.L.104,
30 No.3), known as the Senior Citizens Rebate and Assistance Act.
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1 (b) Appropriation.--The General Assembly may appropriate
2 General Fund moneys to fund in whole or in part the program
3 established by this act.
4 Section 6. Payment system.
5 (a) Departmental regulations.--The department shall, by
6 regulation, establish a system of payments or reimbursements and
7 a system for determining eligibility, including provisions for
8 submission of proof of actual and anticipated annual income and
9 evidence of complete or partial coverage of prescription drug
10 costs by any other assistance or insurance plans.
11 (b) Contract.--In lieu of a payment system established
12 pursuant to subsection (a), the department may contract for the
13 establishment of a payment system if the contract would be
14 economically advantageous to the Commonwealth.
15 Section 7. Effective date.
16 This act shall take effect on January 1, 1984.
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