General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6770
January Session, 2015 LCO No. 3561
*03561_______HS_*
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 6770
January Session, 2015
LCO No. 3561
*03561_______HS_*
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)
AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17b-280a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2015):
[Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, no] No payment shall be made under a medical assistance program administered by the Department of Social Services for over-the-counter drugs, except for (1) the medical assistance program established pursuant to section 17b-256, (2) insulin and insulin syringes, (3) nutritional supplements for individuals who are required to be tube fed or who cannot safely ingest nutrition in any other form, and as may be required by federal law, (4) [effective January 1, 2012,] smoking cessation drugs as provided in section 17b-278a, (5) over-the-counter medications determined by the Commissioner of Social Services to be medically necessary or cost effective, and [(5)] (6) over-the-counter drugs that are required to be covered pursuant to 42 CFR 440.347, including drugs for individuals with specified diagnoses that have a rating of "A" or "B" in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, provided the Department of Social Services may also pay for such over-the-counter drugs under a medical assistance program or portion thereof that is not subject to 42 CFR 440.347. [On or before August 1, 2011, the Commissioner of Social Services shall provide notice to pharmacists who provide services to beneficiaries of a medical assistance program administered by the department that such pharmacists may bill the department for supplies utilized in the treatment of diabetes using the durable medical equipment, medical surgical supply fee schedule. The commissioner shall provide a copy of such notice to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies.]
Sec. 2. Section 17b-10a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2015):
The Commissioner of Social Services, pursuant to section 17b-10, may implement policies and procedures necessary to administer section 17b-197, subsection (d) of section 17b-266, section 17b-280a and subsection (a) of section 17b-295, while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner prints notice of intent to adopt regulations [in the Connecticut Law Journal] on the department's Internet web site and the eRegulations system not later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the time final regulations are adopted.
Sec. 3. Section 17b-261t of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective from passage)
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2015 17b-280a
Sec. 2 July 1, 2015 17b-10a
Sec. 3 from passage Repealer section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
July 1, 2015
17b-280a
Sec. 2
July 1, 2015
17b-10a
Sec. 3
from passage
Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To allow for Medicaid reimbursement of certain over-the-counter medications and to make technical changes deleting obsolete provisions.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]