South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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Bill 313

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INTRODUCED

January 30, 2003

S. 313

Introduced by Senators Alexander, J. Verne Smith, Leatherman, McConnell, Courson, Patterson, Thomas, O'Dell and Setzler

S. Printed 1/30/03--S.

Read the first time January 30, 2003.

            

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS TO ENACT FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE, VOLUNTARY, UNIVERSAL, AND PRIVATELY ADMINISTERED OUT-PATIENT PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE AS PART OF THE FEDERAL MEDICARE PROGRAM.

Whereas, the use of prescription drugs improves the quality of care and helps patients live healthier, longer, and more productive lives while keeping them out of more costly acute care settings in the long term; and

Whereas, the increased use of new and improved prescription drugs has changed the delivery of health care in the United States since Medicare was enacted, and while two-thirds of the Medicare population has some form of prescription drug coverage, although it many times is inadequate, one-third of Medicare beneficiaries have no coverage at all; and

Whereas, in that a drug benefit has not been included in the Medicare program, Medicare does not provide the elderly and disabled the most appropriate drug therapies, preventing the delivery of quality health care at an affordable cost; and

Whereas, the private sector provides affordable coverage by negotiating discounts on drugs and meeting the needs of special populations with chronic diseases and those with co-morbidities through coordinating care with disease management, drug utilization review, and patient education programs, all of which aid in ameliorating medical errors; and

Whereas, comprehensive reform of the Medicare program would utilize the successful tools of the private sector in coordinating care for this population and use the marketplace to foster competition among private plans, resulting in more choices of quality coverage for seniors and the disabled while maintaining the financial sustainability of the program; and

Whereas, Congress' inaction has failed to provide for comprehensive reform of Medicare, encouraging states to use their own resources to ease the burden of their elderly and disabled populations and effectively assume an unfunded, informal mandate; and

Whereas, in implementing state programs to assist the Medicare population, state budgetary constraints can often result in requirements to restrict and limit the patients' access to needed prescription drugs; and

Whereas, given the health issues and problems that are created by the absence of an adequate prescription drug component in the Medicare program, the General Assembly joins President Bush in strongly urging Congress to expeditiously address this problem. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request that the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate enact financially sustainable, voluntary, universal, and privately administered out-patient prescription drug coverage as part of the federal Medicare program.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.

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