In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to preserve access to affordable prescription drugs for Pennsylvanians by addressing restrictive practices imposed by pharmaceutical manufacturers that undermine federal drug pricing programs.
 
For decades, federal discount programs have enabled eligible hospitals, clinics, and community-based providers to purchase outpatient medications at reduced prices. These programs are designed to help preserve access to medications, and improve access to care for low-income and underserved patients by allowing facilities to reinvest savings to expand access and services within their communities
 
In recent years, manufacturers have imposed administrative barriers for purchasing entities, with the end result of restricting access to and availability of medications. Here in Pennsylvania, some manufacturers have restricted or delayed the shipment of discounted drugs to authorized pharmacy partners, or conditioned delivery upon provision of claims data not mandated by federal law. These actions have further reduced patient access to these medications, and placed additional conditions on participation, compounding the access challenges brought about by the closure of retail pharmacies, including some in my own district.
 
Nationwide, more than half the states have acted to prohibit disparate reimbursement practices against 340B entities, and approximately twenty states have passed laws preventing manufacturers from restricting delivery of discounted drugs to authorized contract pharmacies. Pennsylvania has yet to adopt similar protections.
 
While broader reforms may require federal action, Pennsylvania can act now to proactively protect patients and the healthcare systems that serve them from being caught in the middle. This legislation seeks to prohibit restrictive practices that interfere with the delivery of medication shipments to legally authorized dispensing locations, providing predictability and removing volatility in facilitation of the discount program.
 
I invite you to join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to uphold patient access, encourage fair play, and maintain the integrity of Pennsylvania’s safety-net healthcare providers.