California legislators are considering a bill that aims to make the cost-savings from rebates negotiated between pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and prescription drug manufacturers directly available to consumers at the point of sale. Sponsored by Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D – Los Angeles), SB 1361 would require a health plan enrollee’s cost sharing to be calculated … Read more
Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) is sponsoring a bill that would prevent pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from discriminating against 340B-covered entities for which they’re statutorily required to provide discounted prescription drugs. While the Senate Health Committee recently voted to advance the bill, pushing it closer to a full Senate floor vote, drug manufacturers voiced their concern … Read more
Supporters of a bipartisan initiative in Colorado to restrict discriminatory pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices say the contracting practices of PBMs and other third-party payers is reducing medication access for 340B-covered patients. House Bill 1122, sponsored by Rep. Perry Will (R – New Castle), would prohibit PBMs from reimbursing a pharmacy for a prescription drug … Read more
Panelists discussed the importance of transparency and need for cost reductions on specialty drugs in State of Reform’s recent virtual conversation “5 Slides We’re Discussing: The policy implications of new medicines.” The experts called on pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to be more transparent in their pricing and formulary curation. The … Read more