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Cowlitz County OKs interlocal agreement with state to provide tuberculosis medication
Summary
The board approved an interlocal agreement with the Washington State Department of Health to obtain tuberculosis medication for county residents when insurance does not cover treatment; the agreement imposes inventory-tracking requirements and has no dollar figure attached.
Cowlitz County commissioners approved an interlocal agreement with the Washington State Department of Health to secure tuberculosis medications for residents whose insurance will not cover treatment.
Gina James of Health and Human Services told the board the agreement would provide medication as needed and that staff must track inventory and related requirements. "This agreement provides tuberculosis medication... If we are working with an individual in our county that has tested for tuberculosis and their insurance isn't able to cover the medication, the state will work with us to help get the medication to that individual," James said.
Commissioners had no substantive objections. A question from a board member about how TB infections are detected prompted James to explain that positive tests are reported to the county by primary care providers, hospitals or clinics and that the county would then facilitate medication access. The board approved the agreement by voice vote; the agreement was described in the hearing as an as-needed arrangement with no dollar figure attached.
