Legislature(2013 - 2014)BARNES 124
03/27/2013 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB175 | |
| HB125 | |
| HB74 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 175 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 125 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 74 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 125-TOPICAL EYE MEDS PRESCRIPTION REFILLS
3:55:16 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 125, "An Act prohibiting a health care insurer
from denying coverage for an additional limited quantity of
prescription topical eye medication under certain
circumstances."
3:55:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LINDSEY HOLMES, Alaska State Legislature, as
sponsor, stated that the optometrists and ophthalmologists agree
with the changes in HB 125. She related she is currently
working with the insurance industry on some slight changes to
the bill.
3:56:42 PM
CHRISSY MCNALLY, Staff, Representative Lindsey Holmes, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of the sponsor, Representative
Lindsey Holmes, stated HB 125 would allow patients with glaucoma
and other related eye diseases to receive a limited refill of
prescription eye drops if an individual runs out of medication
before the prescribed refill date. Prescription medication is
dispensed in a specific number of dosages and eye drops are no
exception; however, when a medication comes in a pill form it is
still usable if it is dropped, but in contrast, if a patient
blinks away an eye drop, the dose is lost. For patients who
suffer from degenerative eye diseases, such as glaucoma, who
have unsteady hands this may mean running out of medication
prior to the prescribed refill date and these require daily
treatment from prescription eye drops to maintain proper vision,
which can worsen without regular application of drops.
MS. MCNALLY explained that this bill will allow patients to
receive a limited refill of prescription eye drops if an
individual runs out of medication before the prescribed refill
date so long as the doctor agrees. Currently, some insurance
plans restrict patients from refilling medications earlier than
the typical single month or 90-day refill date. A typical
insurance provider will pay for a standardized one month or
three month supply of medication. This is not an uncommon
provision for Medicare; however, a gap exists within private
coverage and simply put, patients who are insured by carriers
within that gap run the risk of running out of their medication
before the refill is allowed. This bill would allow their
doctor to extend the prescription and help keep them healthy.
3:58:31 PM
MICHAEL LEVITT, American Academy of Ophthalmology, stated that
similar legislation has been enacted in a number of states,
including Connecticut, New Mexico, and Maryland. The proposed
changes have been vetted through fiscal committees in those
states with little or no impact to the state. This bill is
focused on a narrow band of patients, not including Medicare
patients since the provision is already covered by a similar
policy. The goal of this bill is to ensure patients continue
their care for chronic diseases that are potentially blinding.
4:00:18 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked for the number of states that currently offer
the proposed provisions for refills.
MR. LEVITT answered four or five states. This effort began in
2009, with some states being more active than others in terms of
proactive legislation; however, the American Academy of
Ophthalmology has had a high success rate when the state's
ophthalmological society decides to focus on this specific
issue.
CHAIR OLSON asked whether any states that have adopted these
changes have withdrawn from the changes.
MR. LEVITT answered none.
4:01:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked whether Mr. Levitt anticipated any
increase in the cost for eye medication with passage of this
bill.
MR. LEVITT responded that he has not seen any reports of
increases. He reiterated that this is focused on a very narrow
but serious problem; however, there have not been any reports
from insurance companies of an explosion in costs.
4:02:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked whether there is any risk of abuse
of eye medication.
MR. LEVITT explained these are chronic diseases. He surmised
that any abuse should come to the attention of a physician.
Typically, the drugs are used to treat glaucoma, are anti-viral,
or are antibiotics and doctors have not reported this type of
problem to date.
4:03:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER related the bill provides for a limited
refill of topical prescription medicine and he asked whether
this has been quantified to be limited to a number of days or
weeks left in the prescription.
MR. LEVITT answered this is one of the issues that is being
discussed.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES answered that she has been working on one
potential change to the bill, which would limit the number of
refills.
4:04:58 PM
SHEELA TALLMAN, Senior Manager, Legislative Policy, Premera Blue
Cross/Blue Shield of Alaska (Premera), stated that Premera
provides coverage to over 100,000 members in Alaska, to
individuals, families, small employers, large employers, as well
as provides service to larger self-funded employer groups in the
state. She advised that Premera has an early refill medication
policy for members. Initially, Premera had concerns about the
early refill of refills of prescription eye medications.
However, she has appreciated the sponsor's willingness to
address Premera's concerns, which she believed would be
addressed in subsequent changes to HB 125 the committee may
choose to adopt.
4:06:39 PM
[HB 125 was held over.]