Bill Text - HB1444 (2010)

Allowing the purchase of drugs from Canada.


Revision: Dec. 10, 2009, midnight

HB 1444-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2010 SESSION

10-2004

01/09

HOUSE BILL 1444-FN

AN ACT allowing the purchase of drugs from Canada.

SPONSORS: Rep. Renzullo, Hills 27; Rep. Seidel, Hills 20; Rep. Garcia, Rock 4; Rep. Coffey, Merr 6; Rep. Hogan, Hills 25; Sen. Carson, Dist 14

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill allows pharmacies and individuals to purchase prescription drugs from Canada under certain circumstances.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

10-2004

01/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten

AN ACT allowing the purchase of drugs from Canada.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Purchase of Prescription Drugs From Canada Authorized. Amend RSA 318-B by inserting after section 9 the following new section:

318-B:9-a Purchase of Prescription Drugs From Canada Authorized. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, pharmacies and individuals may purchase prescription drugs from Canada if such drugs are approved by Health Canada and are from a licensed and legitimate source. Any pharmacy purchasing prescription drugs pursuant to this section shall disclose such fact to the consumer.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

10-2004

11/23/09

HB 1444-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT allowing the purchase of drugs from Canada.

FISCAL IMPACT:

    The Departments of Insurance and Health and Human Services state this bill may have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state revenue and expenditures in FY 2011 and each year thereafter. This bill would have no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Insurance states this bill allows pharmacies and individuals to purchase prescription drugs from Canada under certain circumstances. Presumably, this option would be exercised if it cost less. This may lead to lower health insurance premiums, which may in turn impact premium tax revenue. Any impact would not be realized until FY 2011.

    The Department of Health and Human Services states this bill permits New Hampshire pharmacies to purchase drugs from Canada. For the Medicaid program to utilize federal funds for the pharmaceuticals prescribed for Medicaid enrollees, the drugs must be part of the Federal Drug Rebate Program. Drugs sold in Canada are not subject to the Federal Drug Rebate Program and accordingly, would not be covered by Medicaid. If New Hampshire Medicaid were to cover Canadian drugs, it would have to do so with state only funds. Any fiscal impact cannot be determined at this time.

    The Board of Pharmacy states this bill would have no fiscal impact on the Board.