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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="15-124.2" title_number="15" title_name="Assistance Programs" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Medical and Pharmacy Assistance Programs">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Program” means the Maryland Medbank Program established under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Maryland Medbank Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Program is to improve the health status of individuals throughout the State who lack prescription drug coverage by providing access to medically necessary prescription drugs through patient assistance programs sponsored by pharmaceutical drug manufacturers.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Program shall be administered by the Medbank of Maryland, Inc.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Medbank of Maryland, Inc. shall contract with one or more government or nonprofit entities to operate the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Program shall be funded through a grant provided by the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Program funds may be used in part to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Purchase interim supplies of prescription drugs for enrollees who have applied to participate in a manufacturer’s patient assistance program but have not yet received the approved prescription drug; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Distribute medication to enrollees who have been approved to participate in a manufacturer’s patient assistance program.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Medbank of Maryland, Inc. shall ensure that the Program is available to residents in each of the following geographic regions of the State:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Western Maryland;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Eastern Shore;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The Baltimore metropolitan area;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The Maryland counties in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Southern Maryland, including Anne Arundel County.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Medbank of Maryland, Inc. shall be the central coordinating office for the State.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>Eligibility for the Program shall be limited only by the criteria established by pharmaceutical manufacturers for their patient assistance programs.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall require detailed financial reports at least quarterly from Medbank of Maryland, Inc.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Medbank of Maryland, Inc. shall release funds to the entities that operate the Program as needed and justified by the quarterly reports filed in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
