102 STAT. 720
Diseases.
Mail.
Records.
42 USC 1395m note.
PUBLIC LAW 100-360—JULY 1, 1988 following studies, and report to Congress on the results of each such study by the following dates: (A) A study of the possibility of including drugs which have not yet been approved under section 505 or 507 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and biological products which have not been licensed under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act but which are commonly used in the treatment of cancer or in immunosuppressive therapy and other experimental drugs and biological products as covered outpatient drugs under the medicare program, for which a report shall be made by January 1, 1990. The study under this subparagraph shall be conducted in consultation with an advisory board of consumers, experts in the fields of cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppressive therapy, representatives of pharmaceutical manufacturers, and such other individuals as the Secretary may select. (B) A study to evaluate the potential to use mail service pharmacies to reduce costs to the medicare program and to medicare beneficiaries, for which a report shall be made by January 1, 1990. (C) A study of methods to improve utilization review of covered outpatient drugs, for which a report shall be made by January 1, 1993. (D) A longitudinal study, to be conducted as a follow-up to the data collected under the survey referred to in sul^ection (i)(l)(A), on the use of outpatient prescription drugs by medicare beneficiaries with respect to medical necessity, potential for adverse drug interactions, cost (including whether lower cost drugs could have been used), and patient stockpiling or wastage, for which a report shall be made by January 1, 1993. (2) GAO.—The Comptroller General shall conduct the following studies, and report to Congress on the results of each such study by not later than May 1, 1991: (A) A study comparing average wholesale prices with actual pharmacy acquisition costs by type of pharmacy. (B) A study to determine the overhead costs of retail pharmacies. (C) A study of the discounts given by pharmacies to other third-party insurers. Pharmacies which fail to provide the Comptroller General with reasonable access to necessary records to carry out the studies under this paragraph are subject to exclusion from the medicare and medicaid programs under section 1128(a) of the Social Security Act. (1) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARD MEDICARE CLAIMS FORM.—
(1) The Secretary shall develop, in consultation with representatives of pharmacies and other interested individuals, a standard claims form (and a standard electronic claims format) to be used in requests for payment for covered outpatient drugs under the medicare program and other third-party payors. (2) Not later than October 1, 1989, the Secretary shall distribute official sample copies of the format developed under paragraph (1) to pharmacies and other interested psurties and by not kiter than October 1, 1990, shall distribute official sample copies of the form developed under paragraph (1) to pharmacies and other interested parties.
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