H.B. 363                                                 VETOES

recipients specified information about the hotline. Furthermore, this legislation
requires the Department to develop a methodology to track the number and type of
calls received by the hotline.

Senate Bill 676, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me,
accomplishes the same purpose. Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign House
Bill 363.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.

Governor

House Bill No. 363

AN ACT concerning

Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Maryland Pharmacy Access Hotline
Prior Authorization—Mental Health Drugs

FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene from
establishing, within certain pharmacy assistance programs in the Maryland
Medical Assistance Program, prior authorization requirements or restrictions on
coverage for certain drugs used to treat mental illness and brain disorders;
providing for the application of this Act; requiring the Department to consider
the implementation of certain programs on psychiatric drug costs; making
certain stylistic changes; and generally relating to the Maryland Medical
Assistance Program and drugs for mental illness and brain disorders. requiring
the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish a certain hotline;
requiring the Department to distribute to Program recipients certain
information about the hotline; requiring the Department to notify certain health
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)

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