Assembly Joint Resolution No. 15–Committee on
Elections, Procedures, and Ethics

 

May 9, 2003

____________

 

Declared an Emergency Measure

 

SUMMARY—Urges Congress to provide comprehensive plan for coverage of prescription drugs within Medicare program. (BDR R‑1330)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                   Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Joint RESOLUTION—Urging Congress to provide a comprehensive plan for the coverage of prescription drugs within the Medicare program.

 

1-1  Whereas, Prescription medications are vital to health care

1-2  today; and

1-3  Whereas, Medicare represents a critically important source of

1-4  health insurance for older residents of Nevada and for residents of

1-5  Nevada with certain disabilities, and the coverage provided through

1-6  Medicare does not provide coverage for prescription drugs; and

1-7  Whereas, Most beneficiaries of Medicare who seek coverage

1-8  for prescription drugs are required to obtain private or public

1-9  supplemental coverage to cover prescription drugs; and

1-10      Whereas, According to the results of a study conducted by the

1-11  American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and contained in

1-12  the AARP Public Policy Issue Brief #IB41, consisting primarily of

1-13  data collected in 1999 and based on an average of the different

1-14  levels of income as a percentage of the federally designated level

1-15  signifying poverty, beneficiaries of Medicare who are 65 years of

1-16  age or older spent an average of approximately $2,500 per year, or

1-17  19 percent of their income, on out-of-pocket health care expenses;

1-18  and

1-19      Whereas, According to the AARP study, prescription drugs

1-20  constitute the largest component of out-of-pocket spending on

2-1  health care by beneficiaries of Medicare, averaging approximately

2-2  17 percent of the total out-of-pocket spending on health care and

2-3  accounting for more than the costs of physician care, vision services

2-4  and medical supplies combined; and

2-5  Whereas, According to the study, the total spending on

2-6  prescription drugs in the United States grew by approximately 13

2-7  percent per year between 1993 and 2000 and is expected to grow by

2-8  approximately 12 percent per year through 2011; and

2-9  Whereas, According to the study, beneficiaries of Medicare

2-10  made up approximately 15 percent of the population in 1999, but

2-11  accounted for approximately 40 percent of the total spending on

2-12  prescription drugs in the United States; and

2-13      Whereas, According to the study, beneficiaries of Medicare

2-14  with supplemental coverage for prescription drugs are at risk of

2-15  losing such coverage, as evidenced by a decrease of coverage of

2-16  prescription drugs offered by certain employers from 31 percent in

2-17  1997 to 24 percent in 2001 and a decrease of coverage offered under

2-18  certain Medicare plans for prescription drugs from 65 percent in

2-19  1999 to 50 percent in 2002; and

2-20      Whereas, Many older or disabled residents of Nevada who

2-21  receive Medicare benefits cannot afford supplemental coverage for

2-22  prescription drugs; now, therefore, be it

2-23      Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of

2-24  Nevada, Jointly, That the members of the 72nd Session of the

2-25  Nevada Legislature urge Congress to provide a comprehensive

2-26  universal plan for the uniform coverage of prescription drugs within

2-27  the Medicare program that will provide beneficiaries of Medicare

2-28  with stable access to prescription drugs on a voluntary basis, without

2-29  extraordinary out-of-pocket costs and without unreasonable

2-30  premiums, deductibles or copayments; and be it further

2-31      Resolved, That the program of prescription drug coverage for

2-32  Medicare beneficiaries should have no requirement relating to the

2-33  use of state funds now used for existing State programs; and be it

2-34  further

2-35      Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and

2-36  transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United

2-37  States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the

2-38  House of Representatives and each member of the Nevada

2-39  Congressional Delegation; and be it further

2-40      Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon

2-41  passage.

 

2-42  H