Prescription drugs.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Passed
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill aims to make prescription drug coverage more flexible and affordable for Californians. It allows pharmacists to substitute biosimilar or interchangeable biological products for prescribed medications, unless the prescriber specifically prohibits it. The bill also strengthens protections for patients by preventing health insurers and health care service plans from limiting or excluding coverage for previously approved drugs, particularly when a patient continues to need them. Finally, it introduces a new requirement for health plans to provide advance notice to patients and prescribers when considering substitutions.
Key provisions
- Pharmacists can substitute biosimilar or interchangeable biological products for prescribed medications with prescriber consent.
- Health insurers and health care service plans cannot limit or exclude coverage for previously approved drugs if patients continue to need them.
- Health plans must provide 30-60 days’ advance notice before requiring patients to try a substitute drug.
- Pharmacies must communicate biological product substitutions to prescribers through electronic records systems.
- Health plans cannot require utilization of only a biosimilar product if the entity has a financial interest.
- AB-rated generic equivalents can be substituted under certain conditions.
- The bill establishes definitions for key terms like ‘biological product,’ ‘biosimilar,’ and ‘interchangeable.’
- No reimbursement is required by the state for local agencies or school districts due to the creation of a new crime.
Bill text
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Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
1 on record
Primary sponsor
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