House Health Care Committee hears testimony on H.577 to join ArrayRx prescription discount consortium

Montpelier — The House Health Care Committee on Jan. 15 heard testimony on H.577, a bill that would authorize the state treasurer to establish the Vermont Prescription Drug Discount Card Program and to participate in a multistate consortium known as ArrayRx.

Jen Harvey of the Office of Legislative Counsel summarized the bill’s core provisions: it would add a new subchapter to Title 18 to create a treasurer‑administered discount card program, allow cooperation with other states and nongovernmental organizations, permit negotiated volume‑discount contracting with manufacturers and PBMs, authorize the treasurer to require reasonable fees to defray program costs, create a special program fund, and require annual reporting about participation and savings. The bill includes a one‑time appropriation of $50,000 for fiscal year 2027 to support start‑up costs and would take effect on July 1, 2027, Harvey said.

Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon, who has overseen ArrayRx implementation in his state, told the committee his office runs the state health plan and that Connecticut’s experience shows meaningful savings. "We began rolling out the card in 2024," Scanlon said, and reported that…