Medicare Efficient Drug Dispensing Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1493
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2013-09-10
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Home and outpatient care

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medicare

Prescription drugs

User charges and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2013-09-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-09-10
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Medicare Efficient Drug Dispensing Act of 2013 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsor to have in place a payment structure for covered part D drugs that encourages the use of dispensing techniques that foster efficiency and reduce wasteful dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs in long-term care facilities.</p> <p>Requires a PDP sponsor also to take into account, in establishing fees for dispensing covered Medicare part D drugs to enrollees in a long-term care facility, the utilization of such dispensing techniques to minimize the dispensing of unused drugs, the incremental costs associated with the type of dispensing methodology, and the requirements applicable to long-term care pharmacies.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1493 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 10, 2013 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Ms. Mikulski ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to encourage the use of dispensing techniques that foster efficiency and reduce wasteful dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs in long-term care facilities.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medicare Efficient Drug Dispensing Act of 2013 . 2. Incentives for use of dispensing techniques that foster efficiency and reduce wasteful dispensing of outpatient drugs in long-term care facilities (a) In general Section 1860D–4(c)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–104(c)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (E) A payment structure that encourages the use of dispensing techniques that foster efficiency and reduce wasteful dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs in long-term care facilities. . (b) Pharmacy fees Section 1860D–4(c)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–104(c)(3)) is amended— (1) by striking The Secretary shall and inserting the following: (A) In general The Secretary shall ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (B) Consideration in pharmacy fees The PDP sponsor of a prescription drug plan shall take into account in establishing dispensing fees for services provided in connection with dispensing covered part D drugs to enrollees who reside in a long-term care facility, the utilization of dispensing techniques to minimize the dispensing of unused drugs, and the incremental costs associated with the type of dispensing methodology and the requirements applicable to long-term care pharmacies under the program under this part. Each such sponsor shall not use payment structures, including prorated daily dispensing fees, that discourage the adoption of techniques to minimize the dispensing of unused drugs with respect to covered part D drugs dispensed in long-term care facilities. Each such sponsor shall disclose to the Secretary upon request and in accordance with the requirements of section 1860D–15(f) the amount of any such dispensing fee. .