HB 1672

An act to revise the pharmacy benefit prompt pay act; To amend section 73-21-151, mississippi code of 1972, to reference new sections added to the pharmacy benefit prompt pay act; To amend section 73-21-153, mississippi code of 1972, to define new terms and revise the definitions of certain existing terms; To amend section 73-21-155, mississippi code of 1972, to revise the reimbursement amount from pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacy services administrative organizations (psaos) payable to pharmacies; To require pharmacy benefit managers to give pharmacists reasons for denying a claim within seven days of receiving an electronic claim; To amend section 73-21-156, mississippi code of 1972, to delete provisions authorizing pharmacy benefit managers from using maximum allowable cost lists; To revise the administrative appeals process pharmacy benefit managers must make available to pharmacies to challenge reimbursements; To amend section 73-21-157, mississippi code of 1972, to require psaos to be licensed by the state board of pharmacy; To require pharmacy benefit managers and psaos to renew licenses annually; To revise the financial documents that must be submitted to the board with an application for a license OR license renewal; To create new section 73-21-158, mississippi code of 1972, to prohibit the use of spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers; To bring forward section 73-21-159, mississippi code of 1972, which relates to financial examinations of pharmacy benefit managers, for purposes of possible amendment; To amend section 73-21-161, mississippi code of 1972, to prohibit steering by pharmacy benefit managers; To create new section 73-21-162, mississippi code of 1972, to prohibit retaliation against pharmacists by pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacy benefit manager affiliates and psaos; To amend section 73-21-163, mississippi code of 1972, to revise provisions relating to investigations and audits of pharmacy benefit managers conducted by the board; To create new section 73-21-165, mississippi code of 1972, to require pharmacy benefit managers to submit certain annual reports to the board; To create new section 73-21-167, mississippi code of 1972, to create the mississippi specialty drug committee; To create new section 73-21-211, mississippi code of 1972, to designate certain newly created statutes as the pharmacy fair competition act; To create new section 73-21-213, mississippi code of 1972, to declare certain legislative findings relating to the distribution and retail sale of pharmaceutical drugs and the public necessity to regulate and license certain pharmaceutical industries; To create new section 73-15-215, mississippi code of 1972, to prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from holding a pharmacy permit for the retail sale of drugs; To authorize the board to issue limited use permits for the sale of rare drugs under certain circumstances; To create new section 73-21-217, mississippi code of 1972, to require the board to assess each active retail pharmacy permit to determine if the permit holder is IN violation of section 73-21-215, mississippi code of 1972; To amend section 25-15-301, mississippi code of 1972, to authorize the state and school employees life and health insurance plan to contract for the management of pharmacy benefits; To require the executive director of the state board of pharmacy to be a member of the evaluation committee when considering proposals for such administration; To require a pharmacy benefits manager for the state health plan to comply with the provisions of the pharmacy benefit prompt pay act; To amend section 25-15-303, mississippi code of 1972, to add the executive director of the state board of pharmacy to the membership of the state and school employees health insurance management board; And for related purposes.