6065 Barfield Road, Suite 100 • Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328 • (404) 231-5074

By Melissa Reybold, VP of Public Policy

Well, it was a quiet week for GPhA at the Capitol… wait, is it too early for an April Fool’s joke?

It was anything BUT quiet for us this past week. The days were filled with highs and lows. We had two committee hearings pop up with little notice. Amendments were created, stripped, added, removed, and added again. There were some let-downs on the Senate side while it was all rainbows and unicorns on the House side where we have been 100% supported this year. Low and unfair reimbursements for independents is one of the main issues on many of the legislators’ minds this session and the pressure we created was at an all-time high this past week.

HB 1363

After an unsuccessful meeting in the previous week with a committee chairman, our Call to Action resulted in a hearing on HB 1363. They couldn’t ignore all your calls, texts, and emails on the issue. Thank you to everyone for your outreach. Unfortunately, the hearing didn’t go our way. Our bill was gutted and all that was left was language to have an actuarial study. A couple of committee members left the hearing to quickly vote in other meetings so there was no quorum. The meeting adjourned before those members could return. We had the votes. To watch the hearing, click here and fast-forward to 56:00.

SB 198

Several hours before the Senate HHS hearing, we were informed that a House Public Health meeting was scheduled for a Senate bill (SB 198) that was stripped of its original language and replaced with language that will pay independents the average of what chain pharmacies receive in the SHBP. It was presented by Chairman Lee Hawkins, and this was the only bill on the agenda. It passed the committee unanimously.

After it gets voted on the House floor, it heads back over to the Senate for an agree. We will be working hard to get this past the finish line. This started as an amendment to SB 455 but was removed and added to a gutted SB 198. To watch the hearing, click here.

Preparing to move forward

These are the last days of the session. I know the committee meeting was a letdown but please let’s wait to see if any of our other irons in the fire are successful before we send out emails to legislators expressing our disappointment.

Many of you have senators on that committee that went to bat for you, and I have reached out to them personally to thank them. I will also be reaching out to members in those senators’ districts to let them know how hard they fought.

We are regrouping and strategizing for the final week. Be on the lookout in case we have any Calls to Action. There are two session days and one committee day left so let us know if any legislators reach out to you with information that may be vital in this final stretch. The best way to reach me is my cell: 678-485-6126.