Drug price reform: 5 state-level bills and their potential national impacts

Healthcare reform legislation, particularly around prescription drug pricing, has for all intents and purposes stalled at the federal level, thanks to the gridlock in Washington given the partisan divisions and lobbying by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Undeterred by federal inaction, states are stepping in with new bills state legislators say will help address rising drug costs, by addressing issues such as vertical integration, patient steering, and reimbursement rates for community pharmacies.  

Wes Hill, RxBenefits’ Managing Counsel and Senior Director, Regulatory & Intellectual property, explains in a BenefitsPRO article that while these state bills are setting new precedents, they could have cascading effects including new complexities for employers with members in multiple states, and potentially lead to higher costs as pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) adjust by increasing fees.   

Read the full article on BenefitsPRO now.