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Minutes for SB351 - Committee on Insurance
Short Title
Enacting the Kansas pharmacy patients fair practices act.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 6, 2018
Chairperson Jene Vickrey opened the hearing on SB351.
Jason Thompson, Office of Revisor of Statutes, presented a bill brief for SB351. (Attachment 3) Mr. Thompson responded to questions from Representative Gail Finney, Representative Ken Corbet, and Representative John Eplee.
Aaron Dunkel, Executive Director for the Kansas Pharmacists Association testified in support of the bill. (Attachment 4) Mr. Dunkel stated the Kansas Pharmacists Association requested this bill and that the bill revolves around price transparency and the pharmacists being able to have conversations about therapeutic equivalents and generics with their patients. This bill would allow pharmacists to discuss lower cost options or cash and carry versus the co-pay component. Mr. Dunkel responded to questions from Representative Jim Kelly, Representative Daniel Hawkins, Representative Randy Powell and Representative Willie Dove in regard to clarification on the conversations that pharmacists can currently have with patients and whether or not the pharmacist can initiate discussion of less expensive alternatives.
Larrie Ann Brown, Kansas Legislative Counsel for Express Scripts, testified in support of SB351. (Attachment 5) Ms. Brown stated that Express Scripts manages prescription drug benefits for more than 80 million Americans and Express Scripts completely supports this bill. Representative Jim Kelly asked if a consumer utilized a mail order option to receive their prescription medication and there was a cheaper alternative, would they be contacted by the prescription service. Ms. Brown was uncertain to the answer.
LuGina Mendez-Harper, Government Affairs for Prime Therapeutics provided written testimony. (Attachment 6)
Chairperson Jene Vickrey closed the hearing on SB351.
Approval of Minutes
Chairperson Jene Vickrey asked if there were any changes to the draft minutes of February 1, 2018, February 8, 2018, and February 15, 2018.
Representative Daniel Hawkins moved, seconded by Representative John Eplee, that the minutes of the meetings of February 1, 2018, February 8, 2018, and February 15, 2018 be approved. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:23 am.
