BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE HEALTH
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS
Senator Elaine K. Alquist, Chair
BILL NO: AB 2551
A
AUTHOR: Hernandez
B
AMENDED: April 26, 2010
HEARING DATE: June 30, 2010
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CONSULTANT:
5
Orr/cjt
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SUBJECT
Pharmacy technicians: scholarship and loan repayment
program
SUMMARY
Establishes the California Pharmacy Technician Scholarship
and Loan Repayment Program (Program) for the repayment of
pharmacy technician (PT) education loans.
CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW
Existing law:
Establishes the California Pharmacist Scholarship and Loan
Repayment Program, administered by the Office of Statewide
Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), to provide for the
educational expenses of pharmacy students and to repay
qualifying educational loans of pharmacists who agree to
serve in areas of the state where unmet priority needs
exist, as specified.
Establishes the California Pharmacist Scholarship and Loan
Repayment Program Fund in the State Treasury, which is
funded by voluntary contributions made by pharmacies or
Continued---
STAFF ANALYSIS OF ASSEMBLY BILL 2551 (Hernandez) Page
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pharmacists upon renewal of their license, and requires
that the moneys in the fund be available for the purpose of
implementing the above program, upon appropriation by the
Legislature.
Authorizes the Health Professions Education Foundation
(HPEF) to implement various loan repayment programs for
nurses, mental health service providers, and physicians.
This bill:
Establishes the California Pharmacy Technician Scholarship
and Loan Repayment Program (Program) within the HPEF to pay
for the educational expenses of pharmacy technician school
students and to repay qualifying educational loans for
pharmacy technicians who agree to participate in medically
underserved areas.
Requires HPEF to administer the Program according to the
general guidelines applicable to the federal National
Health Service Corps Scholarship Program and the National
Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, with specified
exceptions. Permits the HPEF to solicit and receive funds
from business, industry, foundations, and other private and
public sources for the Program.
Requires the Program be implemented only to the extent that
sufficient money is available to administer the Program and
establishes the Program Fund in the State Treasury for any
private or public funds to the Program.
FISCAL IMPACT
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee
analysis, no direct fiscal impact is created by authorizing
the Health Professions Education Foundation within OSHPD to
accept donations to support the loan fund established by
this bill.
Several other similar health professions loan programs are
supported by surcharges included in annual licensure
processes. This bill does not contain a similar
self-funding mechanism.
STAFF ANALYSIS OF ASSEMBLY BILL 2551 (Hernandez) Page
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BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
According to the author's office, pharmacy technicians
(PTs) are the second largest field within Allied Health.
Yet, there is no comprehensive statewide public or private
financial aid program to meet the needs of PTs. Becoming a
PT requires an associate degree in pharmacy technology,
completion of a 240-hour training course accredited by the
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, or
graduation from a school of pharmacy accredited by the
American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.
Post-secondary education tuition ranges from
[approximately] $1,664 in fees at a community college
($23,306 total cost) to over $23,000 at a career or
vocational college (not including supplies or cost of
living). Unfortunately, very few community colleges in
California provide training to become a PT, so most
students rely on private, costly education to become
licensed.
In addition to preparing, packaging, and distributing
prescriptions, the author claims that PTs often serve on
the frontline of health care delivery, assisting
pharmacists with language and cultural competency issues
for patients. Demand for PTs will increase significantly
due to higher pharmaceutical demands by a growing aging
population, the need to replace workers to transfer to
other populations or leave the labor force, and increased
reliance on PTs by insurers, pharmacies and health systems
for the purposes of cost-containment. The author claims
that California is one of the bottom five states with the
greatest unmet demand for PTs.
Pharmacy technicians
The primary role of a pharmacy technician is to assist
pharmacists in preparing and dispensing medication. Under
the direction of a pharmacist, they may measure, mix,
count, label, and record amounts and dosages of
medications. They may also clean equipment and sterilize
glassware, count stock and maintain medication inventory
records. The scope of practice of a pharmacy technician
excludes all functions of a registered pharmacist.
Statewide, there are more than 51,000 pharmacy technicians
working under the supervision of more than 35,000 licensed
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pharmacists.
Generally, in order to qualify for licensure as a pharmacy
technician, applicants must obtain an Associate Degree in
Pharmacy Technology, complete a training course accredited
by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists,
complete a course that provides a minimum of 240 hours of
instruction in specified pharmacy-related areas, or
graduate from a school of pharmacy accredited by the
American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.
Health Professions Education Foundation
The HPEF provides scholarships and loan repayments to
aspiring and practicing health professionals who agree to
provide direct patient care in a medically underserved
area, as designated by the Office of Statewide Health
Planning and Development (OSHPD). Service obligations are
typically one to four years and vary depending on the
program. Scholarships are offered to health professional
students attending one of California's accredited colleges
or universities. Loan repayment programs are offered to
graduates pursuing a health professional career to assist
in the repayment of educational debt. Scholarships and loan
repayments are offered to students and graduates from
allied health, nursing, mental health, medical and dental.
Most of the scholarships and loan repayments are funded
through surcharges attached to license renewals, grants,
and public and private contributions, with a few
exceptions. The Mental Health Loan Assumption Program
receives funding from Proposition 63, the Mental Health
Services Act passed by voters in 2004, and the Medically
Underserved Account for Physicians receives additional
funding from the Managed Care Administrative Fines and
Penalties Fund.
The Allied Healthcare Scholarship Program is available
under current law to pharmacy technician students. Awards
are also available to students in other allied health care
programs including medical laboratory technology,
occupational therapy, physical therapy, and respiratory
care.
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Related bills
SB 615 (Oropeza) of 2007 was similar to this bill and was
vetoed due to concerns about duplicative efforts with
regard to the current Allied Healthcare Scholarship
Program.
PRIOR ACTIONS
Senate Business and Professions and Economic Development:
5- 1
Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection:
7- 4
Assembly Appropriations: 11- 5
Assembly Floor: 50-27
POSITIONS
Support: None received
Oppose: None received
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