(a) The Legislature finds and declares that: (1) State costs for purchasing drugs and medical supplies for the health care of offenders in state custody have grown rapidly in recent years and will amount to almost seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) annually in the 1999â2000 fiscal year. (2) The California State Auditorâs Office found in a January 2000 audit report that the state could save millions of dollars annually by improving its current processes for the procurement of drugs for inmate health care and by pursuing alternative procurement methods. (3) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, in cooperation with the Department of General Services and other appropriate state agencies, take prompt action to adopt cost-effective reforms in its drug and medical supply procurement processes by establishing a program to obtain rebates from drug manufacturers, implementing alternative contracting and procurement reforms, or by some combination of these steps. (b) (1) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) may adopt regulations requiring manufacturers of drugs to pay the department a rebate for the purchase of drugs for offenders in state custody that is at least equal to the rebate that would be applicable to the drug under Section 1927(c) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396r-8(c)). Any such regulation shall, at a minimum, specify the procedures for notifying drug manufacturers of the rebate requirements and for collecting rebate payments. (2) If a rebate program is implemented, the secretary shall develop, maintain, and update as necessary a list of drugs to be provided under the rebate program, and establish a rate structure for reimbursement of each drug included in the rebate program. Rates shall not be less than the actual cost of the drug. However, the secretary may purchase a listed drug directly from the manufacturer and negotiate the most favorable bulk price for that drug. In order to minimize state administrative costs and maximize state benefits for the rebate program, the secretary may establish a program that focuses upon obtaining rebates for those drugs that it determines are purchased by the department in relatively large volumes. (3) If a rebate program is implemented, the department shall submit an invoice, not less than two times per year, to each manufacturer for the amount of the rebate required by this subdivision. Drugs may be removed from the list for failure to pay the rebate required by this subdivision, unless the department determines that purchase of the drug is a medical necessity or that purchase of the drug is necessary to comply with a court order to ensure the appropriate provision of quality health care to offenders in state custody. (4) In order to minimize state administrative costs and maximize state benefits for such a rebate program, if one is implemented, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may enter into interagency agreements with the Department of General Services, the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of State Hospitals, or the State Department of Developmental Services, the University of California, another appropriate state department, or with more than one of those entities, for joint participation in a rebate program, collection and monitoring of necessary drug price and rebate data, the billing of manufacturers for rebates, the resolution of any disputes over rebates, and any other services necessary for the cost-effective operation of the rebate program. (5) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, separately or in cooperation with other state agencies, may contract for the services of a pharmaceutical benefits manager for any services necessary for the cost-effective operati
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