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Committee hears support for H577 to join multistate prescription drug discount program
Summary
Witnesses including the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, the Department of Financial Regulation and insurers urged the Senate to advance H577 to let Vermonters access ARx discount pricing, while recommending treasurer monitoring and consumer outreach to protect independent pharmacies and ensure deductible crediting.
The Vermont Senate Health & Welfare Committee heard testimony April 16 on H577, a bill that would allow Vermont to join ARx, a multistate prescription drug discount program intended to give consumers an additional negotiated price at the pharmacy counter.
Charles Becker, staff attorney with the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, told the committee the HCA supports H577 as passed by the House and urged the Senate to preserve House language that would allow discount‑card purchases to count toward deductibles and annual out‑of‑pocket maxima. "H577 as passed by the House is a step forward for prescription drug affordability and the Senate should preserve the House language on counting," Becker said, adding a personal example of a chronic medication that cost him roughly $1,800 per month under a high‑deductible plan while pharmacies could acquire the same drug for about $50.
Becker and others pointed to broader…
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