Arkansas HB 1150, groundbreaking legislation to prohibit permits to pharmacies owned by PBMs, is progressing swiftly through the legislative process. The bill cleared the House on April 3 with a strong 89-4 vote, with four voting present, after a substantive debate on the floor. Just yesterday, April 8, the bill was voted out of the Senate Insurance Committee after strong exchanges between committee members and those testifying both for and against the bill. It was notable that PCMA and the health plans did not testify, leaving the opposition primarily to pharmacists employed by PBM-owned pharmacies. The next step is the Senate floor.
Arkansas continues to lead the nation on key issues. Since the introduction of HB 1150, we have seen similar ownership provisions introduced or amended into bills in Indiana, New York, Texas, and Vermont. NCPA continues to support the Arkansas Pharmacists Association's leadership on the bill, engaging both with committee hearings via letters of support and amplifying grassroots efforts on the ground via email campaigns and social media.
