Committee defers action on HB2551 amid concerns about proposed amendment to pharmacy oversight bill
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Summary
Committee members deferred action on House Bill 2551 (Kansas Pharmacy Services Administration Organization Act) after discussion over a conceptual amendment that would remove section 7 and add public-disclosure language; staff and stakeholders will follow up to clarify potential effects on independent pharmacies and PBM communication.
House Bill 2551, the Kansas Pharmacy Services Administration Organization (PSAO) Act, returned to the Committee on Insurance for consideration. Eileen summarized the bill as enacting the PSAO Act and explained that a contested section (section 7) pertains to communications between independent pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) or third-party payers in the event of a dispute.
Vice Chair Bergkamp moved to report HB2551 favorably for passage. Representative Williams proposed a conceptual amendment that would delete section 7 and add language requiring public written disclosure of ownership or control for certain entities, but she said she had only received the suggested language minutes earlier and preferred more time for review. Williams and others noted potential unintended consequences for independent pharmacists who contract with PSAOs and still need direct access to PBMs in some cases.
Eileen clarified that section 7 is intended to facilitate communication, allowing PSAOs to act as intermediaries and deeming information provided to a PSAO as delivered to the independent pharmacy. Committee members agreed to defer action to allow additional review and offline discussions with stakeholders to ensure the amendment would not harm independent pharmacies' ability to communicate directly with PBMs.
Next steps: the committee deferred HB2551 to allow bill sponsors and staff to work through the proposed changes and return at a later date for further consideration.
