HBA-MPM H.B. 2455 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2455
By: Gray
Public Health
3/29/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Some major pharmaceutical companies operate programs to provide free or
reduced cost medications to patients who cannot afford the medications and
who meet qualifying criteria.  However, these patient assistance programs
are not widely publicized, and many patients and physicians do not know how
to access them.  House Bill 2455 requires pharmaceutical companies that do
business in Texas and that provide such a program to inform the Texas
Department of Health (TDH) and TDH to establish a toll-free telephone
number to assist patients and physicians in locating and applying for
pharmaceutical assistance. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2455 amends the Health and Safety Code to require a
pharmaceutical company that does business in Texas and that offers a
patient assistance program to inform the Texas Department of Health (TDH)
of the program's existence, the eligibility requirements for the program,
the drugs covered by the program, and information such as a telephone
number used for applying for the program.  The bill requires TDH to
establish a system that allows members of the public to call a toll-free
telephone number to obtain information about available patient assistance
programs and to ensure that the system is staffed at least during normal
business hours with staff who are knowledgeable about the programs.  TDH is
required to publicize the telephone number to pharmacies and prescribers of
drugs. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.