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Senate advances pharmacy benefit reforms to increase PBM transparency and reporting
Summary
Senate adopted a substituted version of House Bill 272 addressing pharmacy benefit managers, requiring notice, restricting certain reimbursement practices and adding manufacturer reporting; sponsors said the bill establishes DIR-fee transparency and a 30-day notice to pharmacies.
Senators moved a substitute and passed House Bill 272, a package of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and drug-pricing provisions that sponsors described as increasing transparency and protecting retail pharmacies.
Senator Vickers and Senator Bickers, floor sponsors during the third-reading consideration, said the bill addresses direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees, sets a 30-day notice requirement for PBM contract actions and restricts differential reimbursement that disadvantages retail pharmacies compared with PBM-owned mail-order operations. Senator Bickers said the measure also requires reporting by drug manufacturers on pricing trends, language drawn from a recent PEHP audit.
"It sets up a 30 day notice requiring a PBM to do that," Senator Bickers said in floor remarks explaining a key compliance point. Sponsors said the substitute merely coordinated language with other bills and did not change the fiscal note.
The Senate passed the fourth substitute for HB 272 under suspension of the rules; the roll call was recorded (reported as 25 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent) and the bill will be returned to the House for consideration of the substituted text.
