LD 1634
pg. 6
Page 5 of 9 An Act To Improve the Maine Rx Program Page 7 of 9
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LR 2173
Item 1

 
low-cost drug program under section 254. The fund is a nonlapsing
dedicated fund. Interest on fund balances accrues to the fund.
Surplus funds in the fund must be used for the benefit of the
program. Notwithstanding Title 5, section 1585, surplus funds may
also be transferred to the elderly low-cost drug program
established under section 254.

 
Sec. 9. 22 MRSA §2682, as amended by PL 2001, c. 471, Pt. E, §§5 to
7 and affected by §8, is further amended by repealing the section
headnote and enacting the following in its place:

 
§2682.__Display of Maine Rx Plus Program participation
information

 
Sec. 10. 22 MRSA §2693, sub-§1, ¶¶A and B, as enacted by PL 1999, c.
786, Pt. A, §3, are amended to read:

 
A. By July 1, 2002 2005, the department shall adopt rules
establishing the procedures for adoption and periodic review
of maximum retail prices, the procedures for establishing
maximum retail prices for new prescription drugs and for
reviewing maximum retail prices of selected drugs and the
procedures for phasing out or terminating maximum retail
prices. Prior to adopting rules pursuant to this paragraph,
the commissioner shall consult with and consider the
recommendations of the commission regarding the rules.

 
B. By January 5, 2003 2006, the commissioner shall
determine whether the cost of prescription drugs provided to
qualified residents under the Maine Rx Plus Program pursuant
to subchapter I 1 is reasonably comparable to the lowest
cost paid for the same drugs delivered or dispensed in the
State. In making this determination the following
provisions apply.

 
(1) The commissioner shall review prescription drug
use in the Medicaid MaineCare program using data from
the most recent 6-month period for which data is
available.

 
(2) Using the data reviewed in subparagraph (1), the
commissioner shall determine the 100 drugs for which
the most units were provided and the 100 drugs for
which the total cost was the highest.

 
(3) For each prescription drug listed in subparagraph
(2), the commissioner shall determine the cost for each
drug for qualified residents who are provided those
drugs under the Maine Rx Plus Program on a certain
date. The average cost for each such drug must be
calculated.


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