ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 260

care providers about the hotline; requiring the Department to develop a
methodology to track the number and type of calls received by the hotline;
requiring the Department to report quarterly to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics
Committee on the number and type of calls received by the hotline; and
generally relating to the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the
Maryland Pharmacy Access Hotline.

BY adding to

Article - Health - General

Section 15-136

Annotated Code of Maryland

(2000 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article—Health—General
Section 15-101(a) and (i)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2000 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article—Health—General

Section 15-118.1

Annotated Code of Maryland

(2000 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article—Health—General
Section 15-124 and 15-124.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2000 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Unrestricted access to psychiatric medications is critical to the
successful treatment of mental illnesses and brain disorders; and

WHEREAS, The implementation of preferred drug lists, formularies, and prior
authorization programs in other states has been documented to result in a
deterioration of patient care and increased psychiatric hospitalization; and

WHEREAS, A cost containment program that results in increased
hospitalization will not save money for the State of Maryland but simply transfer
costs to other areas of the State budget; and

WHEREAS, The human costs of restricting access to psychiatric medications
far exceed the potential financial savings to the State of Maryland; and

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