AN ACT Relating to protecting consumers from excess charges for prescription medications; adding a new section to chapter 19.340 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 19.340 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A contract entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of this section between a pharmacy benefit manager or insurer and a pharmacist or pharmacy may not penalize, including through increased utilization review, reduced payments, or other financial disincentives, a pharmacist's or pharmacy's disclosure to a person purchasing prescription medication of information regarding:

(a) The cost of the prescription medication to the person; or

(b) The availability of any therapeutically equivalent alternative medications or alternative methods of purchasing the prescription medication, including, but not limited to, paying the cash price, that are less expensive than the cost of the prescription medication to the person.

(2) On or after January 1, 2019, the maximum amount a pharmacy benefit manager or insurer may require a person to pay at the point of sale for a covered prescription medication is the lesser of:

(a) The applicable cost sharing for the prescription medication;

(b) The amount the pharmacy benefit manager or insurer reimburses the pharmacy or pharmacist for the prescription medication; or

(c) The amount the person would pay for the prescription medication if the person purchased the prescription medication without using a health plan or any other source of prescription medication benefits or discounts.

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