Committee approves patient‑assistance reporting amendment for drug transparency bill and sends bill to floor

The Senate Committee on Health Care on Feb. 16 approved a dash-2 amendment to Senate Bill 1528 requiring drug manufacturers to report annually on all patient assistance programs, and recommended the amended bill to the Senate floor.

Under the adopted amendment, manufacturers must report information including the number of Oregon consumers who participated, eligibility criteria and the total value of assistance. The dash-2 amendment replaces an earlier study-focused version of the bill; committee staff said the dash-2 requirements would become operative on Jan. 1, 2028, and noted fiscal and revenue analyses had been requested and posted to OLIS.

Vice Chair Hayden moved to adopt the dash-2 amendment and later moved the bill as amended to the floor with a "do pass" recommendation. The committee recorded roll-call votes of Senators Campos and Reynolds in favor, and two members opposed; the motion passed with three yeas and two nays.

Chair Patterson thanked staff and agencies supporting drug-transparency work and said the change was intended to "protect consumers and help us understand the costs, the rising costs of in health care, particularly when pharmaceutical costs are major drivers." Committee discussion noted the amendment expands reporting beyond drugs that meet the state's prescription‑drug price threshold and would include information about assistance programs for all drugs.

The bill now proceeds to the Senate floor; sponsors said they would carry the bill and that staff had requested fiscal analyses to inform implementation details.