Senate Plans To Pass Prescription Drug Bill This Fall

Will Look to Include Language Requiring Insurance Companies to Make Some Medications Free

Senate Democrats plan to make another attempt this fall at reining in prescription drug prices, this time with language requiring insurance companies to make medications for certain chronic illnesses available at no cost to patients.

Senate President Karen Spilka announced Wednesday that her chamber plans to release and debate a prescription drug cost bill in the next few weeks. Spilka’s office said the legislation will get a vote “by Thanksgiving.” Legislative rules require all formal sessions this year to conclude by Nov. 15.

The bill that Spilka wants to receive a vote in the next three weeks “is still being drafted,” her office said, and will “direct insurance companies to provide a no-cost sharing option for certain prescription drugs used to treat asthma, heart disease, and diabetes — chronic illnesses that disproportionately affect communities of color and residents with lower income.”

“The legislation will increase patient access, lower costs, and improve oversight and transparency — all with the aim of reducing the burden of high costs for consumers,” Spilka said at an event with health care officials, according to her office.

In each of the past two lawmaking sessions, the Senate approved wide-ranging legislation aimed at reining in prescription drug prices and subjecting industry middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers to greater scrutiny. Neither version advanced in the House.

It’s not clear whether the latest legislation Spilka promised will proceed through the traditional joint House-Senate committee process or if Senate Democrats will use another vehicle to bring it to the floor without House involvement.

The Health Care Financing Committee, which held a public hearing in June on legislation to more strictly regulate pharmacy benefit managers, has not advanced any legislation this session and has only issued a single adverse report on a proposed state constitutional amendment.

Rep. John Lawn, the committee’s House chair, said at the time that he expects both branches to align their approach to tackling health care costs this term.

House Democrats in recent years have been more focused on strengthening review of large hospital expansions and the impacts they have on smaller, lower-cost community hospitals.