General Assembly Raised Bill No. 494 establishes a task force dedicated to studying emergency preparedness and mitigation strategies for prescription drug shortages in Connecticut. The task force will identify drugs at risk of shortage and provide recommendations to address these issues. It will include members appointed by legislative leaders, such as experts in prescription drug supply chains, representatives from hospitals and health care providers, and state commissioners. The bill introduces new provisions regarding the appointment and terms of task force members, including staggered terms for certain appointees and the establishment of chairpersons from the joint standing committee on human services. Additionally, it expands the Strategic Supply Chain Initiative under the Department of Economic and Community Development to include efforts to prevent or mitigate prescription drug shortages and modifies existing rebate requirements for pharmaceutical manufacturers under state medical assistance programs.

The legislation also stipulates that no payments will be made for prescription drugs from manufacturers that do not provide rebates, unless a specific drug is deemed medically necessary for an individual client. It mandates the Commissioner of Social Services to submit an annual report detailing the number of prescription rebates received, changes from the previous year, and the number of supplemental rebates negotiated. The bill repeals and replaces certain sections of current statutes to implement these changes, including adjustments to the timeline for task force appointments and reporting requirements. The effective dates for various sections of the bill are specified, with some provisions taking effect immediately upon passage and others set for July 1, 2026.

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