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| PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2019 | PRINTER'S NO. 2081 |
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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY WARD, VOGEL, D. WHITE, EARLL, M. WHITE, YAW, ORIE, KASUNIC, ALLOWAY, BOSCOLA, WASHINGTON, WOZNIAK, WAUGH, GREENLEAF AND MENSCH, MAY 26, 2010 |
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| SENATOR VANCE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, AS AMENDED, JUNE 22, 2010 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to |
2 | conduct a performance audit of Pennsylvania's methadone |
3 | treatment programs and the medical assistance transportation |
4 | program. |
5 | WHEREAS, The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee is a |
6 | bipartisan, bicameral legislative service agency consisting of |
7 | 12 members of the General Assembly established by statute to |
8 | conduct studies and make recommendations aimed at eliminating |
9 | unnecessary expenditures, to promote economy in the government |
10 | of the Commonwealth and to assure that Commonwealth funds are |
11 | being expended in accordance with legislative intent and law; |
12 | and |
13 | WHEREAS, The committee is authorized to conduct a wide range |
14 | of research activities pertaining to the operation and |
15 | performance of State-funded programs and agencies; and |
16 | WHEREAS, The Commonwealth through the Department of Public |
17 | Welfare reimburses methadone clinics for the cost of providing |
18 | treatment to individuals eligible for the medical assistance |
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1 | program; and |
2 | WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's total medical assistance costs |
3 | for methadone treatment for fiscal year 2008-2009 is |
4 | $42,480,651; and |
5 | WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's medical assistance transportation |
6 | program provides transportation to individuals who are receiving |
7 | methadone treatments by either reimbursing those who have access |
8 | to a private vehicle at a minimum rate of $0.25/mile or by |
9 | providing rides on paratransit vehicles, including vans and |
10 | taxis with little accountability regarding the most cost- |
11 | effective mode of transportation to the clinic; therefore be it |
12 | RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Legislative Budget and |
13 | Finance Committee to conduct a performance audit of |
14 | Pennsylvania's methadone treatment programs and the medical |
15 | assistance transportation program; and be it further |
16 | RESOLVED, That the committee conduct a performance audit to |
17 | examine the annual cost to the Commonwealth for methadone |
18 | treatment and the length of treatment for each individual |
19 | receiving treatment, and specifically determine whether there is |
20 | a narcotic treatment plan for recovery from an individual's drug |
21 | addiction rather than maintenance to methadone; and be it |
22 | further |
23 | RESOLVED, That the performance audit examine the annual |
24 | current cost of the medical assistance transportation program to |
25 | the Federal Government, the Commonwealth and counties and the |
26 | savings that would result if an individual would be required to |
27 | receive treatment at the facility closest to the individual's |
28 | residence; and be it further |
29 | RESOLVED, That the performance audit include initiatives and |
30 | policies of other states' recovery programs, including options |
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1 | other than methadone for treating heroin addictions; and be it |
2 | further |
3 | RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee |
4 | report the results of the audit within 90 150 days after the | <-- |
5 | passage of this resolution to the President pro tempore of the |
6 | Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate. |
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