Lancaster County’s own state Rep. John Bear, a Lititz Republican, is hoping to cap his first two-year term with passage of a health care bill for veterans. Bear’s legislation, which would provide better access to better access to low-cost prescription drugs for veterans in long-term care facilities, passed the state House unanimously Tuesday 198-0.
The bill’s in the hands of the Senate. No idea whether it’s going to pass during this short session, but a unanimous House vote has to bode well.
Here are details provided by Bear’s office:
Bear’s measure, House Bill 2034, would enable pharmacies within long-term care facilities and pharmacies contracting with long-term care facilities to receive lower cost drugs directly from the Veterans Administration. Specifically, an authorized pharmacist or pharmacy may re-package and re-label drugs so that they may be dispensed in unit doses, provided:
The drug is obtained from a drug source facility operated and under contract with the VA or approved by them.
The patient receiving the drug has a valid prescription for the drug.
The prescriber has signed a form authorizing the long-term care facility to administer a drug from a source other than the long-term care facility.
The patient has signed a form authorizing the long-term care facility to administer a drug from a source other than the long-term care facility and has provided payment information for related fees.
They are in compliance with the long-term care facility’s policies and procedures, FDA guidelines and the United States Pharmacopeia.
