Legislative update: 2019 week 6

Days 17 through 20 of Georgia’s legislative session were busy ones for all involved. GPhA continues to engage in stakeholder discussions on HB 233 and HB 323, both of which are expected to be heard in the upcoming week.

The heart of both of these bills is patient choice and anti-steering. With Georgia’s sickest and chronically ill patients being forced and steered to PBM-owned pharmacies in record numbers, these bills could not be more timely or more needed.

Please reach out to your Georgia representative today and ask them to support this legislation.

It’s easy to find your legislator. Just click here and enter your address.

Week 6 also saw GPhA’s second Day at the Dome event with students from Mercer and South walking the halls of the Capitol and advocating for GPhA’s priority legislation. The students all got to hear from pharmacy champions representative David Knight and Ron Stephens.

Pharmacists at the Capitol

Again, the issue is PBM patient steering. Not much more needs to be said. All the students in that photo came to the capitol to support our bills. Now we need pharmacists to come to the Gold Dome.

We have three dates for our Pharmacists Advocacy Teams — each is a group of 10 to 20 pharmacists who will join our advocacy team in meeting with legislators.

Visit GPhA.org/atthecapitol and please sign up for one. Your presence makes a big difference!

Legislation introduced in week 5

HB 385/SB 142: Indication of insurance coverage

Introduced by Representative Lee Hawkins in the house and Senator Larry Walker in the senate, this legislation would require a statement indicating that a patient’s health policy is fully insured be included on his or her health insurance identification card.

This will allow providers and commissioner of insurance investigators to identify whether a plan is fully insured by an insurer or is a self-funded payor plan. While GPhA believes strongly that PBMs are subject to state oversight, GPhA is supportive of this bill to the extent it is helpful in identifying areas with clear ERISA preemption such as Georgia’s prompt pay laws.

SB 121: PDMP data and law enforcement access

Senator Larry Walker introduced this legislation which would make some targeted revisions to Georgia’s PDMP law. Specifically, it would increase the time prescription information is maintained from two to five years and would authorize the attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Unit to access the PDMP database for enforcement purposes. GPhA is currently assessing this bill.

SB 145: Tiered network standards

Senator Harbin’s bill looks to provide for standards for tiered networks, require certain provider notifications prior to termination from a tiered network, and create certain other related requirements. This is a pro provider bill which includes protections for pharmacies.

SB 151: New healthcare office

Introduced by Senator Dean Burke, this bill seeks to create the Office of Health Strategy and Coordination for the purpose of, amongst other things, strategically coordinating the state’s healthcare system. It also contemplates the convening of a Georgia Data Access Forum composed of stakeholders and experts including representatives from pharmacy associations.

Updates on legislation previously introduced

HB 63: step therapy restrictions

Representative Cooper’s step therapy bill passed out of the House and had made its way to the Senate for its consideration. As a reminder, this bill seeks to protect patients from onerous step therapy requirements under certain circumstances including when a medication is contraindicated; and is expected to or has already proven to be ineffective. GPhA supports this legislation.

HB 158: Medicaid patients access to antivirals

Representative Silcox’s bill granting Medicaid recipients access to certain retro antiviral medications passed out the House. GPhA remains in support of this legislation.

HB 213: Hemp farming

The Hemp Farming Act, introduced by Representative Corbett was favorably reported by substitute via the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.

HB 290: HIV prophylaxis

Representative Cooper’s legislation creating a pilot program to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis drug assistance to people at rick of being infected with HIV was favorably reported via substitute by the House HHS Committee.

SB 56: Surprise billing

Senator Hufstetler’s surprise-billing legislation was favorably reported by the Insurance and Labor Committee via substitute.

SB 106: Medicaid waivers

Senator Tillery’s legislation proposing key Medicaid waivers that would bring federal dollars into Georgia’s healthcare system was favorably reported by the HHS Committee.