S.B. No. 2857 establishes a prescription drug purchasing pool in Texas, aimed at allowing health benefit plan issuers, qualified public employers, and qualified private employers to purchase prescription drugs at discounted rates. The bill introduces Chapter 446 to the Health and Safety Code, which includes definitions for key terms such as "Commission," "Health benefit plan issuer," "Participant," "Qualified private employer," and "Qualified public employer." The Health and Human Services Commission is tasked with creating the purchasing pool and setting eligibility criteria, enrollment procedures, and other administrative rules.

Additionally, the bill allows for optional stop-loss coverage for participants and permits multiple employers to jointly purchase prescription drugs through the pool without constituting a multiple employer welfare arrangement. The implementation of this act is contingent upon legislative appropriations, meaning the Health and Human Services Commission can only proceed if funds are specifically allocated for this purpose. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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