A bipartisan organization, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NSCL) website provides another highly useful resource where a lot of timely and important information is collected, pulled together and compared from pending and passed bills of the
50 States + legislative agenda concerning a wide range of subjects.
With respect to the health law and policy area, see NSCL's 2008 Prescription Drug State Legislation webpage, last updated February 27, 2008 ( from time to time updated regularly) where they observe that prescription drugs continue as one of the most active health policy issues for 2008. (1)
From their "PHARMACEUTICALS: Overview and NCSL Resources" webpage:
The total U.S. spending on pharmaceuticals are projected to top $247 billion in 2008, while more than 120 million Americans take one or more prescription medications regularly in a year.[1]
So far, more than 540 pharmaceutical bills and resolutions are under consideration in at least 41 states plus DC; 100+ have been newly filed for 2008 legislative sessions while the rest are carried over from last year.
Health Program Director and co-author of the report, Richard Cauchi:
Legislators recognize the high stakes involved in assisting, or limiting, patients' access to life-saving, but costly medicines....Not everyone agrees on how much state government can or should do to pay for drugs, to regulate the pharmaceutical market or to act as a broker or clearinghouse. There is no single 'template' or 'magic bullet,' but there are certainly a lot of ideas in the works for 2008.
Proposed policies cover a wide range of state-sponsored approaches.
The following are examples of widespread or "hot" topics in 2007-08:
-Expanding Access: Discount and Subsidy Programs;
-Marketing and Advertising;
-Privacy and "Data Mining";
-Medicare Part D Wrap Around Benefits and Services ;
-Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs);
-Prescription Drug Reuse/Recycling;
-Electronic Monitoring and Internet Prescribing;
-Comprehensive Health Reforms.
NSCL's February 2008 nationwide report 2008 Prescription Drug State Legislation (32 pages) reports that at least 38 states are introducing legislation this year to make pharmaceuticals more accessible and affordable to the general public. (2)
The report,
provides an in-depth look at pending legislation, in state capitols across the country, aimed at improving accessibility, affordability and distribution of prescription drugs...
There is a useful chart providing an overview of pending legislation relating to pharmaceuticals and the number of states considering it.
(1) http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/drugbill08.htm
.(2) http://www.ncsl.org/programs/press/2008/pr020408Health.htm
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues. NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies... The leadership of NCSL is composed of legislators and staff from across the country.... [NSCL] provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system....
Research for the NSCL 2008 Prescription Drug State Legislation report was led by Karmen Hanson for NCSL's Pharmaceuticals Project, based in Denver. Regular updates will be added as bills progress through the legislative process.