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Committee hears competing pharmacy views on biosimilars and pharmacist substitution
Summary
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5,594 would add biosimilars to provisions affecting step therapy and pharmacist substitution; supporters say it increases use of lower‑cost biologics, pharmacists warn a patient-cost substitution requirement is impractical without claims-level data.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5,594 would add biosimilars to two existing provisions that apply today to interchangeable biological products and generics: it would allow a health carrier to require a patient to try a biosimilar prior to covering an equivalent branded biologic beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and it modifies pharmacist substitution rules for therapeutically equivalent drugs and interchangeable biological products.
Kim Weidner, committee staff, summarized federal FDA distinctions…
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