Kansas Senate plunges ahead with bipartisan bill targeting prescription drug middlemen
Hays Post • • business
Key Points:
- The Kansas Senate passed Senate Bill 360, a bipartisan effort aimed at increasing state oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) accused of anti-competitive practices that harm local pharmacies and raise drug costs for consumers.
- The legislation mandates greater transparency in PBM operations, requires fair reimbursement rates for all Kansas pharmacies based on the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost, and establishes a dispensing fee to support local and rural pharmacies.
- Supporters, including numerous local pharmacies and healthcare associations, argue the bill addresses unfair PBM practices like spread pricing and lack of accountability, while opponents, including PBMs and some industry groups, warn it could increase health insurance costs.
- The bill passed the Senate 32-8, overcoming attempts to weaken provisions such as the prescription
