CO Becomes First State to Cap Prescription Drug Price On Oct. 3 Colorado’s Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board set an upper payment limit, or UPL, for Enbrel, a prescription drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases...
Special Session on Rural Healthcare Coming in ND North Dakota’s legislature intends to form a new interim committee and hold a special session to allocate $500 million in federal funding for rural healthcare over the next five years. A survey of healthcare...
Several Health-Related Bills Awaiting Gov’s Action in CA California lawmakers passed several health-related bills in the final days of the session. They include SB 40 , which would cap the monthly out-of-pocket expense for insulin at $35; SB 41 , which...
NM Gov Calls Special Session to Bolster Safety Net New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced a special session in October to bolster safety net programs in response to the federal spending cuts signed into law by President Trump in July. Among other...
States Seek Ways to Replace Expiring Federal Health Subsidies Policymakers in California, Colorado, Maryland and other states are considering ways to backfill pandemic-era federal health insurance subsidies expiring at the end of this year. Since states don’t...
Evers Vetoes Insurance Reg Exemption for Direct Primary Care Doctors Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) vetoed a bill ( SB 4 ) that would have exempted primary care doctors who provide care to patients who are billed directly and pay a monthly membership fee from...
FL Requests Medicaid Waiver to Bolster Health Workforce Florida is seeking a federal waiver to use Medicaid funding to expand its health care workforce, a plan that could be adopted by other states. The Sunshine State aims to use up to $3 billion in federal and...
CT to Seek Federal Approval to Make Generic GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed legislation ( HB 7192 ) allowing the state to seek to hire a generic drug-manufacturer to make cheap versions of Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 drugs the...
States Passing Laws to Aid Small Pharmacies States including Colorado ( HB 1094 ), Georgia ( HB 196 ), Indiana ( SB 140 ), Iowa ( SB 383 ) and Montana (HB 740) have passed laws this year setting minimum prescription drug reimbursement rates for pharmacies. The...
OR Enacts Nation’s Strongest Corporate Health Care Law Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed a bill ( SB 951 ) imposing the toughest regulations on private and corporate control of medical practices in the country. The measure limits the amount of control health...
CO Changes Way PBMs Paid Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill ( HB 1094 ) that, among other things, will allow pharmacy benefit managers, starting in 2027, to only be paid a flat service fee instead of earning income from rebates or other price-based fees...
WI Assembly Passes Multiple Healthcare Bills Wisconsin’s Assembly passed multiple healthcare-related bills with broad bipartisan support. One ( AB 43 ) would allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control to those 18 and older. It now moves to the Senate...
IA Enacts Law Addressing Shortage of Birth Centers Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed a bill ( HF 887 ) exempting freestanding birth centers from having to obtain a certificate of need from the state’s Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing to...
WA Enacts Law Keeping Medical Debt Off Credit Reports Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) signed a bill ( SB 5480 ) prohibiting collection agencies from reporting unpaid medical debt to credit agencies. The measure, which takes effect on July 27, is similar to a...
State Lawmakers Target PSAOs After targeting pharmacy benefit managers for years for contributing to the high cost of prescription drugs, state lawmakers have begun setting their sights on pharmacy services administrative organizations, or PSAOs, which help independent...