(The Center Square) – An Indiana legislator says a new law he authored could make a difference for thousands of Indiana residents needing costly prescription drugs.
State Rep. Stephen Bartels, R-Eckerty, led the push to create a prescription drug repository program. House Bill 1017, which went into effect earlier this year, allows health care facilities and individuals to donate pharmaceuticals that have yet to expire into repositories. He said the law was modeled after similar programs established in Iowa and Florida.
“Many Hoosiers can’t afford essential medications, but it’s estimated that billions of dollars’ worth of prescription drugs annually go unused across the country – and that’s frustrating,” Bartels said. “It’s my hope these lifesaving medications can be donated to those who don’t have the ability to pay.”
The new law allows for a central repository operated by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy. It also permits local repositories, provided they have been approved by the board or a third party.
Repositories have not been established yet, but when they open, Hoosier residents whose household income is no more than twice the federal poverty level can qualify to receive the prescription drugs they need, provided they are either uninsured or have health insurance that does not cover the medication they require. Any drug donated must be in its original packaging, and each package will be reviewed thoroughly before it’s allowed to be released to a recipient.
HB1017 prohibits repositories from accepting or issuing abortion-inducing medications and anything on the federal government’s schedule of controlled substances.
According to an analysis conducted by the Indiana Legislative Services Agency, the repository is expected to cost the state up to $500,000 annually to manage. The new law allows the repository to charge recipients a handling fee of no more than $25.
There were 31 states that had operational repositories last year, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. That included Indiana’s four neighboring states: Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.
Iowa’s program received more than $8 million in donated drugs in 2021, according to the fiscal analysis of HB1017. Georgia’s program opened six years ago and has filled more than 450,000 prescriptions. Those drugs are valued at more than $42 million.
