November Legislative Update
Tobacco Tax
Effective October 1, DC’s cigarette excise tax increased from $2 to $2.50 per pack. DC now has the 8th highest state tax in the country.
Tobacco Legislation
A public hearing was held on September 29, 2009 by DC City Council on B18-428, “Prohibition Against Selling Tobacco Products to Minors Amendment Act of 2009” If passed the bill will:
• Permit restrictions on smoking within 25-feet outside a building.
• Require ID checks for individuals purchasing cigarettes who appear 27-years-old or younger.
• Require warning signs in retail locations explaining youth access laws and penalties.
• Ban cigarette distribution at “self-serve” displays.
• Ban sales of cigarettes in packs of less than 20 cigarettes.
• Allow fines up to $500 and/or 30 days imprisonment for retailers violating these laws; $1000 fines/90 days imprisonment for subsequent violations. License suspension/revocation are also permitted.
• Allow fines of $50/first offense and $100/ 2nd offense for minors using false IDs to purchase tobacco products, as well as 25+ hours of community service.
Chemotherapy Parity
DC Council passed B18-278, the “Chemotherapy Pill Coverage Act of 2009” on October 6. This law requires parity in insurance coverage and reimbursement for chemotherapy, whether provided intravenously or in pill form. The law’s stated purpose is: “To require individual and group health plans and health insurers to provide coverage for prescribed, orally administered chemotherapy medication on a basis no less favorable than coverage offered for intravenously administered or injected cancer medications.”
The law requires health plans to:
• Cover orally administered chemotherapy.
• Reimburse IV and pill chemo at the same rate.
Healthy DC Funding
B18-401, the “Hospital and Medical Services Corporation Regulatory Amendment Act of 2009” was approved by the DC Council on October 6. This legislation will create a public-private partnership with CareFirst to fund the Healthy DC program, aimed at providing coverage to those residents between 200-400% FPL. The partnership will also include an evaluation component to better understand the demographics of those enrolling in the program.
District of Columbia Updates
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