Rep. Dr. Tom Oliverson (R), chair of the House Insurance Committee, filed HB 2021, legislation that applies existing law intended to protect patients and pharmacies to all PBMs operating in Texas. The PBMs and Health plans are orchestrating opposition leveraging the Texas Association of Business and the Texas State Chamber of Commerce, mounting an aggressive campaign saying that preempting ERISA hurts employer’s ability to offer quality, affordable health care and prescription options that best fit the needs of their employees.
Also in Texas, NACDS and Texas Federation of Drug Stores (TFDS) pharmacists and interns from HEB and Walgreens spent time at the Capitol meeting with new members and staff to educate them on pharmacy’s priority issues: Medicaid reimbursement rate floor and making the PREP Act flexibilities permanent by lowering the age to 3 years for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to administer vaccinations without a prescription.
Finally, the House Public Health Committee convened an organizational meeting on February 27 to discuss an organizational meeting and will be taking invited testimony from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP), the Texas Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.