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Pharmaceuticals

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prescription drugs

Drug Policy Resource Center

This resource center page provides direct access to prescription drug legislative activities, research and the latest news.

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Stabilizing the Individual Health Care Market

The individual health care market established by the Affordable Care Act is experiencing increasing premiums and declining enrollment. Some states are attempting to stabilize the market by establishing reinsurance programs, mandating coverage or providing subsidies, while others are working on alternative health insurance plans.

PHARMACEUTICALS

Pharmaceuticals

All Documents

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standing committee

Health and Human Services

The Health and Human Services Committee is one of eight NCSL Standing Committees that educates Congress and federal agencies about state concerns and serves as a forum for state legislators and legislative staff to learn about and share information regarding programs and initiatives in other states.

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prescription

Pharmaceutical Benefit Manager Legislation

A majority of states have acted to rein-in audits of pharmacies by the PBMs that negotiate their wholesale medication purchases.

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Overview

Almost 50 percent of Americans take prescription drugs regularly, improving their health or even saving lives. State and federal legislative actions have led to major policy shifts, affecting drug costs, use of brands or generics and patient access and safety. Read reports on Medicaid use of preferred drug lists, new rebates from manufacturers, public and private patient assistance programs, medication adherence and patient education, “sunshine” laws, tighter regulation of safety violations at compounding pharmacies, combating illegal misuse of prescription products and future trends that affect a new generation of biological medications. Some results are dramatic: total U.S. drug spending was rising at a rate of 10 percent annually a decade ago, but recently the annual increase had slowed to less than 2 percent, then surged back 8.5 percent in 2015.