In Review: The first funnel deadline was Friday, February 16, meaning that any bill that has not passed out of a full committee is now considered dead, with the exception of Ways & Means (taxes or fees) and Appropriations (spending) bills. The next few weeks will likely consist of a significant amount of caucus time and floor debate in anticipation of the second funnel deadline on March 15. The Commerce Committee approved HSB 641 (Prior Authorization and Gold Carding) last Tuesday; it has been renumbered as HF 2488 and was placed on the House calendar. As a reminder, the existing statute definitions show that there is an exemption for prescription drugs. Last Thursday, the Commerce Committee held a meeting on SF 431 (POS Rebate Like/Cost Sharing), and the bill was amended, approved, renumbered as SF 2381, and placed on the Senate calendar. The following new bills were introduced last week: HF 2473 (Copay Accumulator (which was previously law), AWP, Anti-Preferred Networks, Anti-Mail), and HF 2472 (Prior Authorization for Cancer).

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Mack at mmack@pcmanet.org.