Lawmakers hear debate on LB109 to limit PBM steering, restrict white‑bagging and protect local pharmacies

LB109, introduced by Senator Elliot Bostar, would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from requiring "white bagging" (a practice in which a PBM’s specialty pharmacy ships a medication directly to a hospital or clinic for clinician administration) and would stop PBMs from restricting retail pharmacies' chosen methods of dispensing and delivery. The bill would also require that nationally accredited Nebraska specialty pharmacies be allowed to participate in PBM specialty networks under reasonable contract terms.

Supporters — including hospital systems, infusion nurses, pharmacists at critical‑access hospitals, specialty clinicians and families — described repeated patient-care disruptions, delayed infusions, administrative waste and…