Call your state rep NOW!!

• Rep. Brown: Cost-saving measures for prescription drugs. This amendment stresses greater use of generic drugs while still allowing physicians to prescribe "medically necessary" drugs outside the generic formulary. Actions recommended by independent pharmacy can save HHSC at least $72 million and as much as $200 million, more than four times the amount projected using premium taxes on managed health care plans. It avoids spending $48 million in administrative costs and eliminates $51 million in increased premium taxes that will be passed on to employers and beneficiaries. Talking points.
• Rep. Miller: Continue the Vendor Drug Program. Texas is admired nationwide for the efficiency and low administrative costs in the HHSC Vendor Drug Program. Compare the administrative cost of working with 10 different PBMs ($48 million) with the 1 percent administrative cost in Texas' current fee-for-service model. HHSC should adopt rules to achieve cost savings comparable to projected savings if drug benefits were administered in a managed care system. Talking points.
• Rep. Hopson: Communications oversight. In recent years, Texas employee and retiree benefit programs had cause to levy a $1 million fine and require a contractor to retract incorrect and unapproved communications to beneficiaries. Lessons learned require the state, as part of good contract oversight, to mandate prior approval of communications to plan beneficiaries from a managed care organization, health maintenance organization, and pharmacy benefit manager. Talking points.
• Rep. Brown: Contractor integrity. PBMs are the most highly litigated segment of the health care continuum. In fact, they have paid more than $340 million in fines, including Texas. It appears PBMs treat these fines as a simple cost of doing business and HHSC appears unwilling to acknowledge these bad deeds. This bill prohibits contracting with entities that have been "bad actors" within the past five years. Talking points.