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Sponsor Statement for HB 318
Uniform Prescription Drug Card

An Act relating to a health insurance uniform prescription drug information card; and providing for an effective date.

House Bill 318 creates a uniform prescription drug card that contains simple but essential information to help pharmacists improve patient care by minimizing confusion, eliminating unnecessary paperwork, decreasing administrative burdens and processing claim delays, and streamlining dispensing of prescription products paid for by third party payors.

The card includes the card issuer's logo, patient's name, routing and group numbers, and the name and address of the benefits administrator and help desk. The need for a uniform prescription card is necessary to the retail pharmacy industry. Pharmacists spend considerable time deciphering insurance benefit cards-time that could be better spent with patients providing pharmaceutical care and educating them to effect optimal outcome of their drug therapy.

Prescription load volume has increased two-fold in the last five years and is expected to double again in the next four years. As our population grows older, more people are taking increasing numbers of prescription medications to prolong well-being and quality of life. By clarifying the content on prescription benefit cards, pharmacists will be able to spend more time with the consumer providing pharmaceutical care.

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