Virginia

After an intense advocacy effort compressed into a 60-day legislative session, pharmacy scored a major victory in Richmond this session with the passage of SB 875 and HB 2610, companion Medicaid Managed Care PBM reform bills. The bills overwhelmingly passed the General Assembly in a bipartisan vote. The bills would require the Medicaid managed care plans to contract with a single PBM under terms set by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). The contract would require:  

• clear statements of the PBM’s fiduciary duty to the state; 

• pass-through pricing; 

• a common formulary, reimbursement methodologies and dispensing fees negotiated by DMAS; and 

• transparency in drug pricing.  

NACDS issued an NACDS RxIMPACT action alert and urges members with operations in the Commonwealth to contact Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to express how critical these bills are to patient access and pharmacy viability. Should he sign the bill, Virginia would join Ohio and Kentucky as the third state to reform PBM practices in Medicaid Managed Care under a single PBM. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.