Requiring Emergency Pharmaceutical Access for Individual Relief (REPAIR) Act of 2006

Bill: 109-hr-4660
Sponsor: Rep. Allen, Thomas H. [D-ME-1]
Introduced: 2006-01-31 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative remedies
Business records
Coinsurance
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Compensation (Law)
Computer software
Congregate housing
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Customer service
Data banks
Department of Health and Human Services
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Federal preemption
Federal-state relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health information systems
Health insurance
Health maintenance organizations
Housing and Community Development
Identification devices
Information services
Insurance companies
Insurance premiums
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Law
Managed care
Medicaid
Medical economics
Medical records
Medicare
Mental health
Mental health services
Nursing homes
Patients' rights
Pharmacies
Pharmacists
Prescription pricing
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
State laws
Telephone
Welfare eligibility

Summary:
action_date: 2006-01-31
text: 
Requiring Emergency Pharmaceutical Access for Individual Relief (REPAIR) Act of 2006 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to transition requirements.
 
Authorizes a pharmacy to fill prescriptions on a renewable 30-day basis for full-benefit dual eligible individuals during 2006 when a reasonable search by the pharmacy to locate or verify an individual's enrollment fails.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and a prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice) to identify clearly all full-benefit dual eligible individuals in their data records.
 
Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to prohibit conditioning Medicaid eligibility for individuals enrolled in certain creditable prescription drug coverage on enrollment in the Medicare part D drug program.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish process to ensure that full-benefit dual eligible individuals are not overcharged.
 
Requires reimbursement to states for 2006 transition costs.
 
Directs the Secretary to provide for outreach and education to every pharmacy participating in the Medicaid program, particularly independent pharmacies, on the needs of full-benefit dual eligible individuals and the transition from Medicaid prescription drug coverage to part D coverage.
 
Directs the Secretary to ensure that an employee of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is stationed at each State health insurance counseling program to assist Medicare beneficiaries and counselors regarding the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.
 
Authorizes state coverage of non-formulary prescription drugs for full-benefit dual eligible individuals during 2006.
 
Prohibits the Secretary from terminating coverage of a full-benefit dual eligible individual unless such individual has functioning access to a prescription drug plan under part D or an MA-PD plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-02-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2006-01-31
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-01-31
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-01-31
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-01-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-01-31
text: Introduced in House