HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 1189

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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11  The Committee on Child & Family Security offered the

12  following:

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14         Amendment (with title amendment) 

15  Remove everything after the enacting clause

16

17  and insert:

18         Section 1.  The Legislature finds that the State of

19  Florida is committed to the prescribed drug needs of

20  low-income, elderly residents, as evidenced by programs

21  created under sections 409.9065 and 409.9066, Florida

22  Statutes. In addition, the Legislature recognizes that the

23  United States Congress is attempting to create a new federal

24  program to jointly fund with states a Medicare Low-Income Drug

25  Assistance Program. Further, the Legislature recognizes the

26  Governor's effort to ensure Florida's participation in this

27  new program via the inclusion of specific funding in a

28  supplemental budget request. Therefore, the Legislature finds

29  that it would be in the state's financial interest and in the

30  interest of low-income Medicare recipients who are Florida

31  residents to implement a revised pharmaceutical program as

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    File original & 9 copies    02/21/02
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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 1189

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)





  1  expediently as possible by modifying Florida's current

  2  pharmaceutical expense assistance program to simply with

  3  forthcoming federal program requirements.

  4         Section 2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section

  5  409.9065, Florida Statutes, the Agency for Health Care

  6  Administration is authorized to modify the eligibility,

  7  benefit, and other provisions of the pharmaceutical expense

  8  assistance program as described in that section for the

  9  purpose of establishing a joint federal- and state-funded

10  Medicare low-income drug assistance program. Program

11  eligibility may be modified to include those with income

12  between 100 percent and 150 percent of the federal poverty

13  level. Benefits and other program provisions may be modified

14  as necessary to comply with applicable federal requirements.

15  These modifications are contingent upon:

16         (1)  Such an option being made available through

17  federal program approval;

18         (2)  Federal funding for such a program constituting 90

19  percent of program costs; and

20         (3)  Those persons with income between 88 percent and

21  100 percent of the federal poverty level having extended to

22  them Medicaid prescribed drug services as specified in section

23  409.906, Florida Statutes, as an extension of the Medicaid

24  MEDS-AD eligibility category, subject to federal waiver

25  approval.

26

27  The Agency for Health Care Administration is authorized to

28  pursue budget amendments necessary under chapter 216, Florida

29  Statutes, in order to implement the provisions of this act.

30         Section 3.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2002.

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    File original & 9 copies    02/21/02
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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 1189

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)





  1  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

  2  And the title is amended as follows:

  3         On page 1, line 2-8

  4  remove:  all said lines

  5

  6  and insert:

  7         An act relating to pharmaceutical expense

  8         assistance; providing legislative findings and

  9         intent; authorizing the Agency for HEalth Care

10         Administration to modify certain provisions of

11         the pharmaceutical expense assistance program,

12         notwithstanding the provisions of s. 409.9065,

13         F.S.; authorizing revisions relating to

14         eligibility, benefits, and other program

15         aspects; providing contingency conditions under

16         which program revisions may be made, including

17         authority for the agency to seek a federal

18         waiver; authorizing the agency to pursue

19         necessary budget amendments under chapter 216,

20         F.S., to implement these provisions; providing

21         an effective date.

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    File original & 9 copies    02/21/02
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