Prescription Drugs
AB 2911 by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles) was read for the first time in the Senate and sent to the Rules Committee for assignment (Bill status, 6/1). A companion bill, SB 1702, by Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata (D-Oakland) was read in the Assembly but was not assigned a committee (Bill status, 6/5). Under the legislation, the Department of Health Services would be required to negotiate drug discount agreements with manufacturers and pursue manufacturer rebates for medications in each therapeutic category. The bills would require the Legislature to appropriate money from rebates negotiated with drug manufacturers in a fund created by the bill for a prescription drug discount program. The bills also would establish rules of eligibility for the drug discount program (SB 1702 text, 5/18; AB 2911 text, 5/2).
AB 2877 by Assembly member Dario Frommer (D-Glendale) was read for the first time in the Senate and sent to the Senate Rules Committee for assignment (Bill status, 6/1). The bill would require DHS to develop a Web site that includes information on obtaining prescription drugs, as well as information and electronic links to pharmacies in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland (Bill text, 5/26).
AB 699 by Assembly member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland) was amended to specify that any manufacturer or distributor of influenza vaccine, or any not-for-profit health care plan that contracts exclusively with a medical group in a specific region, would be required to report information about vaccine supplies if asked by DHS. The amended bill also would require county or city health officials who oversee vaccine supplies to cooperate with DHS in determining local flu vaccine inventories. The information provided to DHS would be displayed on the department's Web site (Bill text, 6/1). The bill was approved by the Senate Health Committee and referred to the Appropriations Committee (StateNet, Subscription required).