The proposed bill seeks to amend the Social Welfare Act by adding a new section, 109z, which establishes guidelines for the coverage of brand name drugs under the medical assistance program. According to the new provisions, the department will not cover a brand name drug if an equivalent generic drug is available, unless specific conditions are met. These conditions include the prescriber indicating "dispense as written" or "d.a.w." on a written prescription, initialing a preprinted statement on the prescription blanks, or explicitly stating that the prescription should be dispensed as communicated in cases where the prescription is not written.

Additionally, the bill defines key terms such as "brand name," "dispense," "drug," "generic name," "prescriber," and "prescription" in accordance with existing definitions in the public health code. This legislative change aims to promote the use of generic drugs, thereby potentially reducing costs for the medical assistance program and ensuring that patients receive equivalent medications when available.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 400.1, 400.119