PRINTER'S NO. 2981
No. 244 Session of 1990
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, STUBAN, SEMMEL, GRUPPO, ARGALL, LASHINGER,
MORRIS, WASS, NAHILL, ANGSTADT, DORR, FARMER, VAN HORNE,
STABACK, FOX, HERMAN, FAIRCHILD, PERZEL, McVERRY, CARLSON,
DEMPSEY, RAYMOND, E. Z. TAYLOR, TANGRETTI, HECKLER, GODSHALL,
NOYE, ROBBINS, WOGAN, SAURMAN, MARSICO, KASUNIC, TRELLO AND
TELEK, JANUARY 24, 1990
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 24, 1990
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Youth and Aging and Health and Welfare Committees
2 to jointly investigate the impact upon the PACE program and
3 its participants of continuing to promote the utilization of
4 generic drugs.
5 WHEREAS, The Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the
6 Elderly (PACE) program benefits approximately 440,000 eligible
7 Pennsylvania senior citizens by providing them with low-cost
8 prescription assistance; and
9 WHEREAS, The act of June 30, 1987 (P.L.169, No.17) included
10 six major strategies proposed by the Administration to reduce
11 the spiraling costs of the PACE program, one strategy of which
12 specifically requires pharmacies to stock and dispense State-
13 approved generic drugs and requires PACE cardholders to accept
14 these medications when the prescriber permits substitution, or
15 pay a differential; and
16 WHEREAS, Rising prices of prescription medications are
17 driving up the cost of the program at an average annual rate of
1 12%; and
2 WHEREAS, Generic utilization in PACE has more than doubled in
3 two years, with current generic utilization at approximately
4 21%; and
5 WHEREAS, Recent problems of policy, procedures and personnel
6 associated with the generic drug approval process at the United
7 States Food and Drug Administration have prompted investigations
8 at the Federal level and have resulted in the Pennsylvania
9 Department of Health issuing amendments to the State Generic
10 Formula to withdraw certain generics from that formula; and
11 WHEREAS, Those drugs which are implicated in the recent
12 Federal drug approval problems are generics which are commonly
13 prescribed to treat conditions and ailments particularly
14 affecting the elderly; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That the Youth and Aging Committee and the Health
16 and Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives jointly
17 conduct an investigation of the impact upon the PACE program and
18 its participants of continuing to promote the utilization of
19 generic drugs, particularly in light of recent problems with the
20 generic drug approval process at the United States Food and Drug
21 Administration and of the consequent withdrawal of certain
22 generics from the State Generic Formula by the Pennsylvania
23 Department of Health; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That the committees may jointly hold hearings, take
25 testimony and make their investigations at such places as would
26 be deemed necessary in this Commonwealth and that members of the
27 committees shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations
28 to witnesses appearing before the committees; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the committees shall jointly report to the
30 House of Representatives on their activities, findings and
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1 recommendations by June 1, 1990, and that recommendations shall
2 be made to the General Assembly and the Governor as to any
3 changes that may be required in the PACE program in order to
4 ensure the continued health and safety of those Pennsylvanians
5 who participate in the program.
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