The General Assembly’s joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) finally released its study of Pharmaceutical Pricing in the Commonwealth’s Medicaid managed care program this week. The study was mandated by the passage of HB 941 of 2021, legislation that required key reforms to PBM practices in the program. These included prohibiting clawbacks, increasing transparency and eliminating spread pricing. Though LBFC cited they had difficulty accessing key data, the report makes several recommendations to the General Assembly to tighten up current law, increase pricing transparency and enforce the requirement for the release of data. NACDS is working with the Pennsylvania Association of Chain Drug Stores (PACDS), the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and other allies to advocate for legislation to address these issues.
Also in Pennsylvania, the Board of Pharmacy released its January 31 meeting agenda. Please note they will be discussing the proposed Pharmacy Technician Rules.
Finally in Pennsylvania, Medicaid issued a Bulletin with updated billing instructions for the COVID-19 bivalent booster, and Magellan announced updates and enhancements to PACE/PACENET web portal, including its embedded software applications and tools.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.