Reforming Drug Prescription Prior Authorization

At a Tuesday, March 14, press conference, lawmakers and advocates pushed bipartisan legislation that would reform the prior authorization process for drug therapies. Rep. Rod Hamilton has multiple sclerosis, and is using his own experience of being denied a drug therapy prescribed by his doctor but denied by a pharmacy benefit manager.

The bill has bipartisan support and has been heard in the Senate, but has not in the House. Senate bill author Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, said her and Representative Hamilton's proposals, "put the need of the patients first." She explained that for the past three sessions, the bill had unanimous, bipartisan support in the Senate, including affirmative committee action this session on SF 593.

"Opponents will tell you that this legislation will explode health care costs, but that is simply not true. The bill allows the plans great flexibility to make changes to their formulary and benefit clases of drugs," Nelson said.