The House Committee on Public Health
76th Legislature
May 23, 2000
10:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, E2.030
Pursuant to a notice posted on May 8, 2000, the House Committee
on Public Health met in a public hearing and was called to order
by the chair, Representative Gray, at 10:00 a.m.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Gray; Capelo; Delisi; Glaze; Maxey;
McClendon; Uresti (7).
Absent: Representatives Coleman; Hilderbran (2).
A quorum was present.
The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose of
the meeting was to address the role of the pharmaceutical
industry in the delivery of health care in Texas, including
identifying cost-drivers and opportunities to reduce costs, as
well as identifying the role of pharmacy benefit managers and
pharmacies in the delivery and management of drug benefit
programs.
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee on overview of the pharmaceutical industry.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Robin Strongin, Senior Research Associate, National Health
Policy Forum, George Washington University
Don Muse, President, Muse and Associates
Gary Persinger, Vice President of Health Services Research,
National Pharmaceutical Council
Patrick B. Donoho, Vice President of Government Affairs and
Public Policy, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee on overview of various state initiatives to contain
cost, design a pharmacy assistance program for seniors, and to
discuss cross-border issues with Canada and Mexico.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Senator Chellie Pingree, Senate Majority Leader, Maine
David Gross, Senior Policy Advisor, Public Policy
Institute, American Association of Retired Persons
Tom Kowalski, President, Texas Healthcare and Bioscience
Institute
Marjorie Powell, Assistant General Counsel, Pharmaceutical
Research Manufacturers of America
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee on overview of the role of the pharmaceutical industry
and various aspects impacting the rising cost of
pharmaceuticals, such as prescribing patterns, utilization,
direct to consumer advertising and marketing.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
John Coster, Vice-President of Federal & State Programs,
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
James T. Brown, General Manager, Walsh Distribution Inc.,
Texas Wholesale Druggist Association
Justin Bartos, MD, Texas Academy of Family Physicians
Marissa Schlaifer, Clinical Pharmacist, PacifiCare, Texas
Association of Health Plans
Lisa McGiffert, Senior Policy Analyst, Consumer's Union
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee on overview of the impact of the rising cost of
pharmaceuticals to Texas state agencies.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Shelia Beckett, Executive Director, Employees Retirement
System
Charles Dunlap, Executive Director, Teacher's Retirement
System
Bob Harris, Bureau Chief, Texas Medicaid Vendor Drug
Program, Texas Department of Health
Steven Shon, MD, Medical Director, Texas Department of
Mental Health and Mental Retardation
Dan Stewart, Director, Employee Group Insurance, The
University of Texas System
Steve Hassel, Director of Group Insurance and Retirement
Programs, Texas A&M University System
The chair called upon the witness who was invited to give the
committee on overview of the common threads in utilizations
trends at Texas state agencies.
The following person provided oral testimony:
Don Green, MBA, MPA, Chief Financial
The committee considered public testimony.
At 6:00 pm, on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
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Rep. Patricia Gray, Chair
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Pam Crowley, Chief Clerk