00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 275                                                                          
01 "An Act requiring that a policy of group health insurance offered by the state and                                      
02 certain local governments include coverage for colorectal screening, allow retirees to                                  
03 choose between brand-name and generic drug products, and limit certain prescription                                     
04 drug benefit payments to an amount based on the cost of the generic drug product."                                      
05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
06    * Section 1. AS 39.30.090(a) is amended by adding new paragraphs to read:                                          
07                 (13)  Medical care insurance coverage obtained under this section for                                   
08       persons who receive benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former                                        
09       AS 39.37 after termination of employment with the state or a participating                                        
10       governmental unit must include coverage of colorectal screening under AS 21.42.377.                               
11                 (14)  A policy of group insurance providing coverage of prescription                                    
12       drugs under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 for a person who                                     
13       receives benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 after                                    
14       termination of employment with the state or a participating governmental unit                                     

01                      (A)  shall allow the person or the person's authorized                                             
02            representative to choose, in writing, between a generic drug product and a                                   
03            brand-name drug product if the person is having a prescription filled and both                               
04            products are available for that purpose;                                                                     
05                      (B)  may not pay the difference between the cost of a brand-                                       
06            name drug product and a generic drug product if the person for whom the drug                                 
07            product is prescribed, or the person's authorized representative, chooses a                                  
08            brand-name drug product, unless                                                                              
09                           (i)  the person prescribing the drug product states, in                                       
10                 writing, that a generic drug product may not be dispensed; or                                           
11                           (ii)  the pharmacist responsible for dispensing the drug                                      
12                 product states, in writing, that a generic drug product is not available to                             
13                 dispense or that dispensing a generic drug product in that instance                                     
14                 would be unlawful.                                                                                      
15    * Sec. 2. AS 39.30.090(b) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read:                                            
16                 (4)  "generic drug product" has the meaning given to the term                                           
17       "equivalent drug product" in AS 08.80.480.