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HB0143 • 2020

Prescription drugs-access and affordability.

AN ACT relating to food and drugs; requiring the department of health to study ways to improve access to and the affordability of prescription drugs in Wyoming; specifying study requirements; requiring a report; authorizing rulemaking and other actions as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor
Representative Barlow
Last action
2020-03-11
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The bill is marked as inactive, which means it did not pass in its current session. This impacts the implementation timeline and any future legislative changes based on this act.

Improving Access and Affordability of Prescription Drugs in Wyoming

This act requires the Department of Health to study ways to improve access to and affordability of prescription drugs, report back with findings and recommendations, and implement actions as needed.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Health to complete a study by October 1, 2020, on issues related to accessing affordable prescription drugs in Wyoming.
  • Specifies that the study must consider various factors such as supply chain processes, drug pricing impacts, and methods used by health insurers to manage costs.
  • Allows the Department of Health to develop proposals for actions based on the findings from the study.
  • Authorizes the Department of Health to implement proposed actions with the governor's consent through rulemaking or other legal means.
  • Requires a report to be submitted to relevant committees by August 15, 2020, detailing the study results and any recommended legislative changes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Wyoming residents who need prescription drugs
  • Health care providers in Wyoming
  • State agencies involved in health care or insurance

Terms To Know

Pharmacy benefit manager
A company that manages prescription drug benefits for health plans.
Rebate
Money returned to a buyer by the seller as an incentive or discount.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill is marked as inactive, meaning it did not pass in its current session.
  • It does not specify how much funding will be provided for conducting the study and implementing actions.
  • The effectiveness of proposed actions to improve drug access and affordability remains uncertain.

Bill History

  1. 2020-03-11 House

    H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4

  2. 2020-02-26 House

    H No report prior to CoW Cutoff

  3. 2020-02-11 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor 59-0-1-0-0

  4. 2020-02-10 House

    H Received for Introduction

  5. 2020-02-08 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
20LSO-0366
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0366
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0143

Prescription drugs-access and affordability.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Barlow, Hallinan, Henderson, Kinner, Kirkbride, Salazar and Sweeney and Senator(s) Anselmi-Dalton, Baldwin, Kost and Landen

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to food and drugs; requiring the department of health to study ways to improve access to and the affordability of prescription drugs in Wyoming; specifying study requirements; requiring a report; authorizing rulemaking and other actions as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

(a)

Not later than October 1, 2020, the department of health shall complete a study on issues that Wyoming
residents, state and local government agencies and health care providers experience with obtaining access to prescription drugs and the affordability of prescription drugs in Wyoming. The study shall include consideration of:

(i)

Issues that Wyoming residents and state and local government agencies that provide health care or health insurance face in accessing affordable prescription drugs;

(ii)

The supply chain process for prescription drugs and the impact that supply chain issues and drug prices have on the ability of the state to provide and Wyoming residents to obtain affordable, effective prescription drug treatments;

(iii)

Methods that health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers use to manage prescription drug costs;

(iv)

The function and feasibility of pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates and discounts used by health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers to reduce
prescription drug costs to Wyoming residents and government agencies;

(v)

The feasibility of establishing a wholesale prescription drug program in Wyoming;

(vi)

The feasibility of establishing a prescription drug importation program in Wyoming;

(vii)

The impact that decreasing prescription drug pricing may have on health insurance premiums and access to prescription drugs;

(viii)

The feasibility of other arrangements to increase prescription drug access and decrease prices, including direct contracts with prescription drug suppliers, statewide distribution agreements with wholesale or retail prescription drug providers and price agreements.

(b)

When conducting the study required by subsection (a) of this section, the department of health shall consult with all state agencies involved in the provision of health
care or health insurance in Wyoming, including the state board of pharmacy, the department of administration and information, the department of insurance, the department of family services and the department of corrections. The department of health shall consult with and hold public meetings for interested stakeholders to contribute information on the issues studied and proposals developed under this section.

(c)

The department of health shall develop proposals for actions that would increase access to and the affordability of prescription drugs in Wyoming. Proposals may be developed under this subsection based on the issues studied under subsection (a) of this section.

(d)

With the governor's consent, the department of health, the department of administration and information, the state board of pharmacy, the department of insurance, the department of family services and the department of corrections may do any of the following to implement the actions proposed under subsection (c) of this section:

(i)

Promulgate rules in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act and with their authority to promulgate rules under current law;

(ii)

Complete any application to the federal government necessary to implement an action;

(iii)

Take any other action authorized by law to improve access to and the affordability of prescription drugs in Wyoming.

(e)

Not later than August 15, 2020, the department of health shall report to the joint appropriations committee and the joint labor, health and social services interim committee on the study conducted under subsections (a) and (b) of this section and on any actions proposed or implemented under subsections (c) and (d) of this section. The report shall also include any recommendations for legislation necessary to implement any actions proposed under this section.

Section 2.

The department of health, the department of corrections, the department of administration and information, the department of insurance, the department of family services and the state board of pharmacy shall promulgate rules necessary to implement any actions proposed under section 1(c) of this act and approved by the governor under section 1(d) of this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective
immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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