On January 23, Associate Director of Policy Karrington Anderson testified before the Health and Government Operations Committee in opposition of HB 321 – Pharmacy Benefits Managers – Definition of Purchaser and Alteration of Application of Law. This bill seeks to limit the tools Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) can use to negotiate pharmaceutical prices on behalf of their clients, including county governments.
These limitations would disrupt counties’ ability to provide comprehensive, affordable health benefits to employees, including first responders and school staff, while increasing costs for both counties and their employees. Counties rely on established processes to manage benefits effectively, and HB 321 would undermine their efforts, leading to higher plan costs and co-pays.
HB 321 would impose several harmful limitations, including restricting the design of benefits plans, inhibiting management of vendor contracts, and undermining employers’ ability to create necessary checks and balances to protect staff and their financial contributions to benefits plans.
HB 321’s cross-file, SB 303, was heard on February 5 in the Senate Finance Committee. Karrington Anderson testified in opposition to this bill.
HB 321 was heard in the opposite chamber, the Finance Committee, on March 27. MACo submitted written testimony in opposition to this bill.
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