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Senate hears emotional testimony on bleeding-disorders assistance; bill advanced then tabled over fiscal concerns
Summary
HB33 would create a five-year pilot to reduce drug costs and a grant program to help people with bleeding disorders afford premiums and out-of-pocket costs; senators praised its potential but tabled it for fiscal-note review.
Senator Davis presented House Bill 33 to amend the Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool Act, proposing a five-year pilot that uses discounted drug pricing programs to lower medication costs for people with bleeding disorders and creating a Department of Health grant program to subsidize premiums and COBRA payments.
The bill's sponsors and supporters described the potential lifesaving effects of reducing out-of-pocket drug costs and enabling families to keep coverage. Senators raised concerns that the measure targets a single disease group and emphasized the bill has a fiscal note. Senator Hilliard moved to table HB33 on third reading pending fiscal-note consideration; that motion passed and the bill was held for later fiscal review.
