G.__Other public purchasers not listed above.__ Representatives of municipal or county governments, the Maine Education Association's benefits trust, the Maine School Management Association's benefits trust and private purchasers may be allowed to join the council to participate in savings opportunities;

H.__A health care provider; and

I.__A clinical pharmacist.

Public purchasers not otherwise listed in this subsection and private purchasers may be allowed to join the council to participate in savings opportunities.

2.__Chair and staff assistance.__The chair of the council is the director of the Governor's Office of Health Policy and Finance or the director's designee or the director of a successor agency.__The chair shall convene the council. The Governor's Office of Health Policy and Finance or a successor agency shall provide necessary staffing services to the council.

3.__Purpose.__The purpose of the council is to develop options to maximize the cost-effectiveness of the pharmaceutical benefit offered by all health plans that are financed, in whole or in part, with public dollars.__A simple majority of all members must be achieved to make final decisions on vendor selection and related matters.

4.__Parameters of council. The council shall make recommendations to public purchasers regarding the joint purchasing of pharmaceuticals with the State in order to reduce costs for all participating parties and maximize savings by pooling purchasing power, but not to fundamentally alter the independent nature of any of the health plans involved in the council.__Any joint purchasing effort must ensure that:

A.__Each of the participating plans retains its distinct nature, with members of each plan maintaining their current medical coverage and participating organizations retaining current contracts, except for amendments required to implement the joint pharmaceutical purchasing effort;

B.__The members of participating plans have open access to all prescription drugs, as medically needed.__The council shall design and implement a 3-tiered pharmaceutical benefit;