§5A-3C-2 Purpose. - West Virginia Statutes

§5A-3C-2. Purpose.
(a) The Legislature finds:

(1) That the rising cost of prescription drugs has imposed a significant hardship on individuals who have limited budgets, are uninsured or who have prescription coverage that is unable to control costs successfully due to cost shifting and disparate pricing policies;

(2) That the average cost per prescription for seniors rose significantly between one thousand nine hundred ninety-two and two thousand, and is expected to continue increasing significantly through two thousand ten;

(3) That there is an increasing need for citizens of West Virginia to have affordable access to prescription drugs; and

(4) That the Legislature does not intend the imposition of the programs under this article to penalize or otherwise jeopardize the benefits of veterans and other recipients of federal supply schedule drug prices.

(b) In an effort to promote healthy communities and to protect the public health and welfare of West Virginia residents, the Legislature finds that it is its responsibility to make every effort to provide affordable prescription drugs for all residents of West Virginia.