Transcript Highlights:

• Line 206, our savings tracked on the spreadsheet related to the drug formulary review committee sunset
• Line 364 tracks the Senate position on health insurance plan formulary requirements.
• insurance plan formulary insurance plan formulary requirements.<00:09:16.240> Lines<00:09
• Another key provision, the formulary freeze, will allow Minnesotans to keep their needed prescriptions
• Um, another key provision,<00:57:50.240> uh,<00:57:50.319> the<00:57:50.480> formulary

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• proposal relating to the drug formulary proposal relating to the drug formulary um<00:08:22.160>
• This is relating to health insurance plan formulary requirements.
• drug formulary committee. drug formulary committee.
• <01:44:30.000> Uh making mid-year formulary changes.
• Uh making mid-year formulary changes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a formulary based on a percentage of students.
• predominantly driven by the legislature putting an amount in there, and then it just washes through the formulary
• Have you all evaluated that formulary and come up with a Number that you would request of us to put reading
• opposed to us just putting some dollars into Strong Readers and hoping it just washes through a formulary

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A doctor prescribed a medication for them, a psychiatric medication, that was on the formulary of the
• commercial insurance, but it was not on the formulary for Medicaid.
• <00:40:45.160> of<00:40:45.359> the<00:40:45.520> commercial the formulary of
• how do we navigate this the formularies how do we navigate this through<00:41:17.160> that<00
• Because of that, we had to switch to a different medication that was on both of the formularies, and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• FINALLY THE BILL REQUIRES HEALTH PLANS TO FREEZE FORMULARIES IF MANUFACTURERS AGREED TO GIVE A DRUG PRICE
• THEIR MEMBERS PICK UP THE PRESCRIPTION AND THE COST OF THE PLAN WHEN THOSE DRUGS ARE LISTED ON THEIR FORMULARY
• MEDICATION BUT WE DO HAVE CONCERNS OVER A FEW PROVISIONS OF THE BILL, PRIMARILY RELATED TO SECTION 81 FORMULARY
• DESIGN PIECES AND THE PROTECTIONS ON FORMULARY MANAGEMENT.

Transcript Highlights:

• But if the hospital doesn't have it on formulary, I could say, "Hey, that's cost prohibitive for this
• Here are your alternatives that the hospital may have on formulary and then you've got to make a decision
• to just avoid telling you what you need based on a contract that says I got to do whatever's on formulary

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're changing what is on their formulary in terms of drugs that folks can get because some of the
• They're changing what is on their formulary in terms of drugs that folks can get because some of the
• And then the formulary management options—I mentioned other states around the country are considering
• So that conversation around formulary reduction or prior authorization, I'll give the example of Biktarvy
• like Biktarvy, some states are—Florida actually recently considered pulling Biktarvy from their formulary

Keywords: House Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Bills: HCR74, HCR95, HB705, HB1048, SCR23, SCR31, SCR38, SB49, SB233, SB307, SB326, SB387, SB401, SB435, SB495

Keywords: trade commission, international relations, Louisiana, United Kingdom, economic exchange, cultural exchange, infrastructure investment, sales tax, exemptions, credits, rebates, uniformity, legislative rules, fiscal report, contempt, legislature, disorderly conduct, bribery, arrest, legislative privilege

Summary: The House and Governmental Affairs Committee met on May 12 with a quorum present and took up several measures. It first heard HCR 74, which would establish a Louisiana-United Kingdom Trade Commission modeled after the existing Louisiana-Ireland commission. The author said the commission would serve as an umbrella group to promote exchanges in trade, academics, financial services, economic development, and the arts, with no compensation for members. After brief questions and supportive testimony from a member familiar with the Ireland commission, the committee reported HCR 74 favorably. The committee then considered SCR 38, which repeals Joint Rule No. 7 related to the Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee. The author explained that the repeal was tied to a separate study commission on Atchafalaya Basin water quality, aimed at addressing sediment buildup, stagnant hypoxia, and harm to the fishing industry. Members discussed sediment management and water quality concerns, and the committee adopted a technical amendment to the title before reporting the resolution favorably, as amended. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 495 on campaign finance disclosures. The author described a series of changes, including raising the threshold for unitemized individual contributions to $200, adjusting when a PAC is considered to be participating in an election, extending the annual report deadline from February 28 to March 15, and allowing leadership PAC funds to cover replacement or repair of items damaged in connection with public office. The transcript cuts off during the bill presentation, so no final action on SB 495 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know, but I think higher ed is the one that makes the recommendations for non-formulary entities
• So is your request above and beyond what higher ed recommended for you as a non-formulary? It is.
• I don't know, but I think higher ed is the one that makes the recommendations for non-formulary entities
• and like I said this may be a question for higher ed since they're the ones that propose the non-formulary
• So is your request above and beyond what higher ed recommended for you as a non-formulary? It is.

Summary: The committee first received a report on the executive protection detail, which was filed without questions. Members were then given a long advance list of House and Senate bills ready for consideration, followed by several amendment requests from agencies. The committee adopted amendments for the Auditor of State to increase special deputy expense allowance, the Administrative Office of the Courts for court interpreters and substitute court reporters, and several other items including local sales tax refunds, county property tax redistribution, and local law enforcement funding. It also held one amendment on House Bill 1034 and moved a Northwest Arkansas Community College cash fund increase tied to tornado-related campus repairs. The committee then considered a series of member amendments and appropriation items, including increases for the Public Defender Commission and deputy prosecuting attorneys to cover higher bar license fees, and a $12 million federal appropriation-only item. A lengthy discussion followed on a proposal from Senator Wallace and Representative Tosh to fund a pilot program for prison cell-phone detection/jamming technology at two correctional facilities. Sponsors and Department of Corrections officials said the system would target illegal contraband phones, would be procured through an RFP, and would be a two-year pilot; members raised questions about legality, cost, scope, data, and whether the department should use existing budget authority. The committee ultimately advanced the item by motion. The committee also took up an amendment from Senator Caldwell for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, seeking a $4 million appropriation increase. Testimony emphasized that the division’s extension offices and research functions are underfunded, that salaries are not competitive, and that the request would help with staffing and flexibility; other members questioned why the division needed more appropriation authority when it already had room under current limits and noted that the request exceeded the higher education board’s recommendation. The amendment was adopted after extended debate. Finally, the committee began acting on governor’s letters, adopting amendments for a $150 million increase to the homestead property tax credit, a $23,000 reallocation for the Insurance Department’s conference costs, $100,000 for property appraisal review work, $1.5 million for career and technical education professional development, $300,000 for DFA regulatory federal spending, $5 million for Inspector General fraud investigations, a consolidation of appraiser/abstractor/home inspector appropriations, deletion of a completed Fort Chaffee readiness center appropriation, and a revised reappropriation for corrections capital projects that would add special language restricting use of the $73.7 million prison-expansion reappropriation. The committee also heard a summary of a supplemental appropriations package involving fund transfers for pregnancy resource centers, senior centers, assistance grants, used tires, and UAMS pregnancy/stroke programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know, but I think higher ed is the one that makes the recommendations for non-formulary entities
• So is your request above and beyond what higher ed recommended for you as a non-formulary? It is.
• I don't know, but I think higher ed is the one that makes the recommendations for non-formulary entities
• and like I said this may be a question for higher ed since they're the ones that propose the non-formulary
• So is your request above and beyond what higher ed recommended for you as a non-formulary? It is.

Summary: The committee first filed a report on the executive protection detail and then reviewed a long list of House and Senate bills that were ready for action, with members instructed to hold any items they wanted removed. The committee then took up several agency requests to amend bills: the Auditor of State’s request for a $370 increase for special deputy expense allowance, the Administrative Office of the Courts’ requests for additional funding for court interpreters and substitute court reporters, and requests tied to local sales tax refunds, county property tax redistribution, emergency medical and law enforcement support, and Northwest Arkansas Community College tornado-related repairs. All of those amendments were adopted, and one amendment on House Bill 1034 was held over at Senator Johnson’s request. A major portion of the meeting focused on an amendment for the Department of Corrections to fund a pilot program using mobile technology to identify and disable illegal inmate cell phones at Varner and Cummins prisons. The bill sponsors and Corrections officials described the problem as a serious public safety issue, saying inmates use contraband phones for criminal activity, trafficking, scams, and outside coordination. Members asked about FCC rules, procurement, whether the system would jam or only identify phones, whether it would affect staff or nearby users, how quickly it would work, whether it would be a one-time or ongoing cost, and whether the department had existing budget authority. Officials said the proposal would require an RFP, that current funding was not available in the department’s budget, and that the technology would be a two-year pilot. The committee ultimately adopted the amendment and then gave the underlying bill a do-pass recommendation. The committee also considered an amendment for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, which sought a $4 million increase in appropriation authority. Senators discussed the division’s role in county extension offices, 4-H, research, and salary competitiveness, while others questioned why the division needed more appropriation room when it already had about $10 million in headroom and had requested a different funding level through higher education. Division representatives said the increase would help with salaries and provide flexibility for future funding, and Higher Education staff clarified the original request and recommendation amounts. After extensive discussion, the committee adopted the amendment and gave it a do-pass recommendation. Finally, the committee began acting on governor’s letters, adopting amendments for a homestead property tax credit increase, insurance department conference travel, property appraisal analysis support, career and technical education professional development, regulatory and casino gaming appropriations, a new program integrity line for the Department of Inspector General, consolidation of licensing board appropriations, deletion of a completed Fort Chaffee Readiness Center appropriation, and a revised reappropriation package for prison expansion that included special language limiting use of the funds. Members asked several questions about the prison reappropriation, including whether it still related to the earlier Calico Rock project and whether special language should be considered separately; the committee moved the governor’s letters forward for drafting and further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, the drug is evaluated for effectiveness, and typically formularies and the cost to the patient
• And what they don't do then is they don't have the formulary constraints that we often see in the U.S
• I mean, everybody loves and hates formularies or preferred drug lists in the United States.
• So, contracting for your network, managing the formulary, managing payment.
• He says the state already has a Medicaid single formulary, which the department has not implemented.

Transcript Highlights:

• Drug formulary committee, thank you. That's what it is.
• Drug formulary committee that identifies drugs to be put on a preferred drug list, and many of these
• Drug formulary committee, thank you. That's what it is.
• We also are extending the drug formulary committee into perpetuity.
• are extending the drug formulary are extending the drug formulary committee<01:16:58.040> into

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:48:37.040> prior<00:48:37.480> authorizations, formularies, prior authorizations,
• formularies, prior authorizations, and<00:48:39.800> confusion.
• We have heard concerns about the use of prior authorization and formularies in managed care.
• <01:12:12.960> in prior authorization and formularies in prior authorization and formularies
• formulary and PA criteria<01:12:17.520> for<01:12:17.680> pharmaceuticals<01:12:18.440

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House File 3939, a bill to support a Helping Paws service-dog litter named in honor of Gilbert and the Hortman family. Testimony from Helping Paws and service-dog graduate Angie Foley described the organization’s work, the significance of the “Guided by Gilbert” litter, and how the funding would help train dogs that provide independence and support to people with disabilities, veterans, and others. Members from both parties spoke warmly about Speaker Hortman’s connection to the organization and Gilbert, and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then considered House File 3769, the Department of Corrections’ technical omnibus bill, with an A1 amendment adopted to clarify tuberculosis testing language. The bill updates TB screening procedures in correctional facilities, including how refusals are handled, and adds Quantiferon Gold Plus testing as an option alongside existing methods. Members discussed whether the bill would create costs for counties and jails, with some noting added testing and segregation costs and others arguing the changes would improve accuracy and reduce time in restrictive housing. The bill, as amended, was recommended to the general register. House File 3978 was next, a technical cleanup bill for a provider wellness program created last year. The bill expands eligibility and confidentiality protections from physicians to all health care providers, while supporters said the program is meant to address burnout and mental health strain in the workforce and does not require new money. Some members questioned whether the change was redundant or would broaden the program without additional funding, but the Minnesota Medical Association testified that the program is separate from insurance and was intended to serve all providers. The bill was recommended to the general register. Finally, the committee began House File 3476, which Rep. Liebling described as a cleanup bill related to Minnesota’s Medicaid managed care system and public program oversight. She argued that the state spends billions through managed care organizations and that the system has never been proven better than direct payment, setting up a broader discussion of the bill’s purpose and the state’s oversight of public health care spending.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a form of rebates; I call them kickbacks, just to get on formularies.
• pass-through moves the incentive to prioritize higher-cost drugs, encouraging more cost-effective formulary
• This... ...encouraging more cost-effective formulary decisions.
• and voiced concern in other states that certain price-setting actions can result in restrictive formularies
• House Bill 1234, Senate Bill 887, and 724 would further restrict cost-containment tools such as formulary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a lengthy hearing on a large docket of pharmacy and drug-pricing bills, with most testimony focused on PBM reform, 340B drug discount program protections, specialty medication access, and medication adherence. Chair James Murphy and Senator Paul Feeney opened the hearing and took testimony from legislators, patient advocates, pharmacists, health center leaders, industry representatives, and policy groups. Several speakers described delays, denials, high out-of-pocket costs, and pharmacy closures tied to PBM practices, while others emphasized the importance of community health centers and independent pharmacies in serving patients. On the 340B program, supporters including Senator Eldridge, Senator Payano, Community Care Cooperative, Fenway Health, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, and several community health center leaders argued that bills such as H. 1107 and S. 819 would stop discriminatory PBM and manufacturer practices, preserve contract pharmacy access, and protect safety-net providers that say they reinvest savings into care, pharmacy expansion, interpreter services, behavioral health, and other services. Opponents including PhRMA, the Community Liver Alliance, and a public policy analyst argued the program lacks transparency and accountability, has grown beyond its original purpose, and may benefit large hospitals and for-profit entities more than low-income patients. They urged more reporting and oversight rather than expanding protections. On PBM reform, testimony supported bills including H. 1157, H. 1234, S. 724, S. 831, and related measures that would require rebate pass-through, ban spread pricing, limit steering to PBM-owned pharmacies, and improve reimbursement for community pharmacies. Independent pharmacists and patients said current PBM practices raise costs, create administrative burdens, and threaten access to local pharmacies. PCMA, representing PBMs, opposed the reforms, arguing PBMs lower costs, that plan sponsors choose to contract with them, and that the Health Policy Commission and CHIA should complete their ongoing study before new mandates are adopted. The committee also heard support for H. 1322 and S. 734 on specialty medications, and for H. 781 and H. 1305 on medication synchronization to improve adherence. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I oversee medication use, compliance, and affordability, including our SHARP drug formulary committee
• I oversee medication use, compliance, and affordability, including our SHARP drug formulary committee
• encourages carriers and PBMs, or pharmacy benefit managers, to put lower-cost generics on their formularies
• My husband often feels tied to his job because we need insurance that has her drugs on their formulary
• drug manufacturers from offering coupons if there's a generic therapeutic equivalent that's on the formulary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pay—people that are maybe in a high-deductible health plan or their drug was dropped from their formulary
• pay—people that are maybe in a high-deductible health plan or their drug was dropped from their formulary
• pay—people that are maybe in a high-deductible health plan or their drug was dropped from their formulary
• drug was dropped from their formulary drug was dropped from their formulary those<00:33:50.080><
• <00:53:56.000> so that it's gone um off their formulary so that it's gone um off their formulary

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The working session focused on the New Hampshire Prescription Drug Affordability Board’s budget request and its recent work. Early discussion centered on a technical question about a statutory dedicated fund for donations: members asked why the budget did not show a line item for accepting donations, and DHHS CFO Nathan White explained that the statute already authorizes the fund, but because no revenue has been received yet, it does not appear in the budget. He said any future donations would go through the normal process under RSA 14:30-a, with fiscal committee and Governor and Council approval and a memo to the Department of Revenue Administration. The chair clarified that the account was not a prerequisite to soliciting donations, and White said the fund would supplement, not replace, General Fund support. Kirk Williamson, the board’s executive director, then presented the board’s mission and budget. He said the governor’s budget provides about $256,500 in the first year and slightly more in the second, all General Funds, and that the board had distributed a technical amendment to continue the executive director position. He described the board’s role as analyzing prescription drug costs, identifying savings opportunities, monitoring market trends, promoting transparency, and making recommendations to the legislature and public payers. He also emphasized that the board operates publicly, with live-streamed meetings and a stakeholder advisory council that includes unions, state agencies, Medicaid, corrections, higher education, and other stakeholders. A major topic was the board’s estimate of $6 million in potential savings, based on Medicare’s newly negotiated prices for 10 drugs. Williamson explained that the board used those federal negotiated prices as a benchmark to estimate what New Hampshire public payers might be missing by not having similar leverage, and said the board is trying to build evidence for future recommendations rather than directly setting prices. Members asked how those potential savings could become actual savings, and Williamson said the board is sharing findings through its advisory council and feedback loops, though it has not yet sent a formal recommendation letter to specific purchasers. He also discussed the difference between pharmacy-benefit spending, which relies heavily on PBM-negotiated rebates, and medical-benefit spending, which is administered differently and is being added to the board’s next report. Williamson highlighted other work, including a model on Humira and a pending legislative effort to improve biosimilar competition, plus a proposed state-backed pharmacy savings card that would be no cost to the state and could save users about $240 per prescription based on Connecticut’s experience. No votes were taken during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, we have concerns the language can unintentionally prevent plans from updating their formularies
• However, we have concerns the language can unintentionally prevent plans from updating their formularies
• It also lengthens the period of another required notice to patients and providers about formulary change
• And so this one actually informs the provider of the formulary change and the patients that are there
• a notification that they will be receiving from the health insurance company once it is on their formulary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 9.5 adopts a formulary system for medication in workers' compensation, along with Section 9.7
• What it does is it also allows for emergency-type scenarios for the use of non-formulary drugs to be
• Section 15.5 has to do, again, with the formularies.
• Section 15.5 has to, again, has to do with the formularies.
• Oh, this has to do, if I recall, this is the formulary implementation date? So it's Section 4.6.

Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483

Keywords: health insurance, claims process, insurance regulation, admin penalties, healthcare access, cannabis, cannabis establishment, medical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, advertising regulations, packaging requirements, unlicensed cannabis activities, state prosecution, confidentiality, Cannabis Compliance Board, disciplinary proceedings, mental health, counseling, interstate practice, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 1 is a governor's initiative to extend the sunset of the Drug Formulary Committee to June 30th
• of 2029. the sunset of the Drug Formulary Committee to June 30th of 2029, and this is also on line 276
• Restoring the state's Ability to manage the preferred drug list by eliminating the sunset on the drug formulary
• The expiration of the drug formulary committee would result in the loss of supplemental funds.

Bills: HF2435

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know, but I think higher ed is the one that makes the recommendations for non-formulary entities
• And, like I said, this may be a question for higher ed since they're the ones that propose the non-formulary
• I don't know, but I think higher ed is the one that makes the recommendations for non-formulary entities
• And, like I said, this may be a question for higher ed since they're the ones that propose the non-formulary
• So is your request above and beyond what higher ed recommended for you as a non-formulary? It is.

Keywords: 1204, all