Health insurance; synchronization of medications. (HB234)

Introduced By

Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) with support from co-patron Del. Dawn Adams (D-Richmond)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Health insurance; synchronization of medications. Requires any health plan providing prescription drug coverage to permit and apply a prorated daily cost-sharing rate to prescriptions that are dispensed by a network pharmacy for a partial supply if the prescribing provider or the pharmacist determines the fill or refill to be in the best interest of the enrollee and the enrollee requests or agrees to a partial supply for the purpose of synchronizing the enrollee's medications. Such a proration shall not occur more frequently than annually. The measure also prohibits such a health plan from denying coverage for the dispensing of a medication that is dispensed by a network pharmacy on the basis that the dispensing is for a partial supply if the prescribing provider or the pharmacist determines the fill or refill is in the best interest of the enrollee and the enrollee requests or agrees to a partial supply for the purpose of synchronizing his medications. The measure requires health plans to allow a pharmacy to override denial codes indicating that a prescription is being refilled too soon for the purpose of synchronizing the enrollee's medications. The measure prohibits health plans from using payment structures incorporating prorated dispensing fees and requires that dispensing fees for partially filled or refilled prescriptions be paid in full for each prescription dispensed regardless of any prorated copay or fee paid for synchronization services. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
12/31/2017Committee
12/31/2017Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18100454D
12/31/2017Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/18/2018Assigned C & L sub: Subcommittee #1
01/24/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB234)
01/25/2018Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment (8-Y 0-N)
01/30/2018Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2018Read first time
02/02/2018Read second time
02/02/2018Committee amendment agreed to
02/02/2018Engrossed by House as amended HB234E
02/02/2018Printed as engrossed 18100454D-E
02/02/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB234E)
02/05/2018Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
02/05/2018VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2018Constitutional reading dispensed
02/06/2018Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/26/2018Reported from Commerce and Labor (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/28/2018Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/01/2018Read third time
03/01/2018Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/05/2018Enrolled
03/05/2018Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB234ER)
03/05/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB234ER)
03/05/2018Signed by Speaker
03/08/2018Signed by President
03/14/2018Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2018
03/14/2018G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, April 9, 2018
03/30/2018G Approved by Governor-Chapter 561 (effective 7/1/18)
03/30/2018G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0561)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 38 seconds.