LANSING, MI- The following is a press release from Representative Sara Cambensy's office:
State Rep. Sara Cambensy (D-Marquette) joined a bipartisan group of legislators today to introduce a package of bills aiming to increase healthcare access and make prescription drugs more affordable in Michigan.
Cambensy’s bill, HB 4346, would establish an insulin co-pay cap of $50 for a 30-day supply.
“Skyrocketing insulin prices pose a grave danger to thousands throughout Michigan, where one out of every ten people have diabetes,” Cambensy said. “As a type-1 diabetic for 34 years myself, I understand the constant fear so many live with – that fear of going without their lifesaving medication because they simply cannot afford it. This package of bills will benefit all people within the state to deliver lower prescription costs, improve access to healthcare, and save taxpayers money by implementing a preventative care approach to our current healthcare system. I am thankful my colleagues and I were able to work on this issue in a cooperative, bipartisan manner.”
Other proposals in the package include:
- Licenses and regulates “pharmacy benefit managers” by implementing quarterly transparency report requirements from them while also requiring an annual report from state regulators to the legislature detailing the cost of prescription drugs, any increases and rationale for increases;
- Prohibiting an insurer from requiring a patient to pay a higher co-pay than the cost of a dispensed medication while allowing pharmacists to disclose the current price of medications;
- Requiring an insurer to count all drug rebates received for a medication toward a family's out-of-pocket maximum;
- Allowing out-of-state providers to provide telehealth services and allow consumers to use an online or mobile platform to renew their contact prescription;
- Placing limits on drug manufacturers' gifts to physicians;
- Stopping insurance companies from removing a prescription drug from its list of offerings during a plan year
Rep. Cambensy’s HB 4346 is expected to be heard in the House Committee on Health Policy tomorrow morning.
