093_SB1531

 
                                     LRB093 10834 MKM 11292 b

 1        AN ACT concerning health care.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:


 4        Section 5. The Illinois Act on Aging is amended by adding
 5    Section 8.08 as follows:

 6        (20 ILCS 105/8.08 new)
 7        Sec. 8.08.  Medassist board.
 8        (a)  Declaration and purpose.
 9             (1)  The General Assembly hereby declares  that  the
10        rising  cost  of  prescription  medications has imposed a
11        significant hardship on individuals who  are  on  limited
12        budgets   and  who  possess  no  insurance  coverage  for
13        prescription medications. As  a  consequence,  a  serious
14        public  health  concern in the State has resulted.  It is
15        the public policy of the State to assist persons in  need
16        of   prescription  medications  for  the  maintenance  or
17        restoration of their health.
18             (2)  The purpose of this Act is (i) to award  grants
19        to organizations for the purpose of assisting individuals
20        in  accessing  free  and discounted prescription programs
21        offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers and others;  (ii)
22        to  explore, develop, and implement innovative strategies
23        for  the  purpose  of  managing  the  rising   costs   of
24        prescription   medications   and   increasing  access  to
25        prescription medications by individuals with an inability
26        to  pay  for  them;  and  (iii)  to  compile   data   and
27        information   regarding   the   costs   of   prescription
28        medications and related matters.
29        (b)  Illinois  Medassist  Board.  There is hereby created
30    the Illinois Medassist Board. The Board shall be  chaired  by

 
                            -2-      LRB093 10834 MKM 11292 b
 1    the  Director  of  Aging  and  in  addition shall include the
 2    Director of Public Aid, the Secretary of Human Services,  the
 3    Director of Central Management Services, the Comptroller, the
 4    Treasurer, and the Director of Public Health. The Board shall
 5    also  include  4  public members appointed by the Director of
 6    Aging. The public members shall serve 3-year terms and may be
 7    re-appointed for an unlimited number of terms.
 8        (c)  Responsibilities of the Board.
 9             (1)  The responsibilities of the Board include,  but
10        are  not  limited to, the following: (i) coordinating and
11        promoting services of organizations throughout the  State
12        that   assist   individuals   in  accessing  prescription
13        medications offered for free  or  at  reduced  prices  by
14        pharmaceutical  manufacturers  in  order  to  ensure that
15        citizens in  all  parts  of  the  State  have  access  to
16        prescription drugs; (ii) seeking and receiving funds that
17        may   available  from  private  and  public  sources  for
18        prescription  medication   assistance;   (iii)   awarding
19        grants,  pursuant  to  available appropriations and other
20        funds received for purposes of this Section, to community
21        or statewide organizations for the purpose  of  assisting
22        individuals  in  accessing free and discount prescription
23        programs  offered  by  pharmaceutical  manufacturers  and
24        others; (iv) providing technical assistance and  training
25        to help build the capacity of communities, organizations,
26        and   systems   to   develop,   implement,  and  evaluate
27        prescription  medication  assistance  programs;  and  (v)
28        notifying the public of programs that offer assistance to
29        qualified individuals to obtain prescription  medications
30        for free or at reduced prices.
31             (2)  The  Board may use a reasonable amount of funds
32        from the Medassist Fund for  costs  associated  with  the
33        administration  of  this  Section. The chairperson of the
34        Board may appoint an Executive Director or contract  with
 
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 1        a  not-for-profit or other agency for any or all of these
 2        administrative functions.
 3        (d)  Medassist Fund. The Medassist Fund is created  as  a
 4    special  fund in the State Treasury into which funds received
 5    from private, State,  or  federal  sources  specifically  for
 6    prescription medication assistance may be deposited, and from
 7    which  funds shall be appropriated by the General Assembly to
 8    the Illinois Medassist Board.

 9        Section 10. The State Finance Act is  amended  by  adding
10    Section 5.595 as follows:

11        (30 ILCS 105/5.95 new)
12        Sec. 5.595.  The Medassist Fund.