GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	1 

SENATE BILL 513

Short Title:  Presc. Drug ID Card.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Wellons; Albertson, Cochrane, Dalton, Foxx, Garrou, Gulley, Kinnaird, Lucas, Purcell, Reeves, and Weinstein.

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Referred to:  Insurance.

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March 25, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS THAT COVER PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO ISSUE UNIFORM PRESCRIPTION DRUG IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 3 of Chapter 58 of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following section to read:
"§ 58-3-174. Uniform prescription drug identification cards.
(a)	Every health benefit plan that provides coverage for prescription drugs or devices and that issues a prescription drug card, shall issue to its insureds a uniform prescription drug identification card.  The uniform prescription drug identification card shall conform to the format adopted by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs and shall include the following:
(1)	Identification number of the insured's dependents covered under the health benefit plan.
(2)	Name of the insured's dependents covered under the health benefit plan.
(3)	Date of birth of the insured's dependents covered under the health benefit plan.
(b)	A new uniform prescription drug identification card as required under subsection (a) of this section shall be issued annually by a health benefit plan if there has been any change in the insured's coverage in the previous twelve months.  A change in the insured's coverage shall include, but is not limited to, the addition or deletion of a dependent of the insured covered by a health benefit plan.
(c)	Not later than January 1, 2001, the uniform prescription drug identification card provided under subsection (a) of this section shall contain a magnetic strip or bar code, or both, for electronic verification.