The Chair opened the hearing on SB360.
Assistant Revisor Ma gave a brief overview o the bill, discussed the amendment, certain other additions, and stood for questions. (Attachment 1)
Proponents standing before the committee included:
- Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, Kansas Department of Insurance (Attachment 2)
- Senator Stephen Owens (Attachment 3)
- Alex Byrnes, Director Government Relations, HY-Vee, Inc. (Attachment 4)
- Brian West, PharmD, Bowen Pharmacy (Attachment 5)
- Taggart Wall, City of Winfield (Attachment 6)
- Sandy Kueker, RPh, Hesston Pharmacy (Attachment 7)
- Joylynn Fix, Life and Health Director at West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner gave proponent testimony virtually.(Attachment 8)
The following provided written only testimony in favor of the bill:
- Will Anderson, Pharmacist, Orchard Drug (Attachment 9)
- Jena Brunswig, Pharmacist, Scott City Pharmacy(Attachment 10)
- Holly Gripka, Pharmacist, the Medicine Store (Attachment 11)
- Elijah Hershey, Pharmacist, Cherryvale Pharmacy (Attachment 12)
- Mark Steven Mayberry, Pharmacist, Four States Pharmacy (Attachment 13)
- Dared Price, Pharmacist, Damm Pharmacies (Attachment 14)
- Hannah Rinkenbaugh, The Mulvane Pharmacy (Attachment 15)
- Joe Woehl, Auburn Pharmacy (Attachment 16)
- Eric Driggers, PharmD, Hillsboro Hometown Pharmacy(Attachment 17)
- Katherine Salas, Damm Pharmacy (Attachment 18)
- Elle Rose, Orchard Drug (Attachment 19)
- Erika Kramer, Private Citizen (Attachment 20)
- Sam Melendez, Consumers Pharmacy (Attachment 21)
- Bob Nyquist, Pharmacist Retired (Attachment 22)
- Shawna Doane, Corner Drug and Gift (Attachment 23)
- Joseph Gilliland, Medical Pharmacy (Attachment 24)
- Lyndsey Brouhard, El Dorado True Care Pharmacy (Attachment 25)
- Jake Milbradt, El Dorado True Care Pharmacy (Attachment 26)
- Doug Funk, Auburn Pharmacy (Attachment 27)
- Sue Kollhoff, Kollhoff Pharmacy & Compounding (Attachment 28)
- Dustin Hothan, Jayhawk Pharmacy (Attachment 29)
- Holly Plank, Damm Pharmacy (Attachment 30)
- Matt Wrigley, Auburn Pharmacy (Attachment 31)
- Brad Seiler, Walgreens (Attachment 32)
- Lyle Dauner, RPh, Mankato Professional Pharmacy (Attachment 33)
- Jeremi Whitham, Greeley & Hamilton County Drug (Attachment 34)
- Sabrina Flint, Damm Pharmacy (Attachment 35)
- Jeff Tobaee, PharmD, Medical Pharmacy (Attachment 36)
- Carlee Stensaas, Auburn Pharmacy (Attachment 37)
- Julie Keeton, RPh, Kiowa County Pharmacy (Attachment 38)
- Dan Reif, RPh, Medicine Shoppe (Attachment 39)
- Lesley Harris, RPh, Tallgrass Pharmacy (Attachment 40)
- Michael Burns, Auburn Pharmacy (Attachment 41)
- Nancy Bradfield , RPh, Clearwater Pharmacy (Attachment 42)
- Morgan Buntin, RPh, Richey Drug (Attachment 43)
- Cori Durall, PharmD, Gatlin Medical Arts Pharmacy (Attachment 44)
- Norman Unruh, Private Citizen (Attachment 45)
- Susan Witt, Private Citizen(Attachment 46)
- Gene Porter, Private Citizen (Attachment 47)
- Shane Batchelder, Private Citizen (Attachment 48)
- Karen Braman, Kansas Hospital Association and Tara Mays, Kansas Council or Health Systems Pharmacy (Attachment 49)
- Stephanie Harper, Private Citizen (Attachment 50)
- Charley Crabtree, Private Citizen(Attachment 51)
- Lisa Gales, PharmD, Main Street Pharmacy (Attachment 52)
- Chellie Ortiz, Independent Pharmacy Association of Kansas (Attachment 53)
- Sarah Breuer, PharmD, The Downtown DrugStore (Attachment 54)
- Michael Schweitz, Alliance for Transparency and Affordable Prescriptions (Attachment 55)
- Joel Kurzman, Director, State Government Affairs, National Community Pharmacists Association (Attachment 56)
Proponents advocated for the passing of this bill to alleviate certain concerns, concerns, including but not limited to:
- lack transparency an accountability in prescription drug pricing for consumers
- current practices by pharmacy benefit managers harm independent pharmacies
- appearance of monopolies
- decline in reimbursement rates for independent pharmacies impact there sustainability
- auto-enrollment into contracts without notification
- medicaid reimbursement rates are outdated.
- reimbursement structure does not take into consideration actual dispensing costs and professional services
Neutral, Written-only Testimony was provide by:
- Kelly VanZwoll, Kansas Bankers Association (Attachment 57)
The following provided opponent testimony in person:
- Sarah Fertig, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas (Attachment 58)
- Danny Weiss, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas City (Attachment 59)
- Jonathan Buxton, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (Attachment 60)
- William Wilk, Director of Government Affairs, Kansas Chamber of Commerce (Attachment 61)
- Andrew Wiens, Kansas Employers For Affordable Healthcare (Attachment 62)
Opponent, written-only testimony was submitted by:
- Amanda Stanley, City of Olathe (Attachment 63)
Opponent arguments included, but were not limited to, the following:
- The proposed mandatory dispensing fee may disproportionately impact small businesses
- The bill favors pharmacies over patients
- The fairness of different reimbursement rates for different pharmacies within networks
A lengthy question and answer period followed the conclusion of all conferee testimony. Research was requested to validate the percentage of self-funded insurance plans in Kansas, reported to be 66.3%. Additionally, consider looking into transparency reports regarding pharmacy reimbursements in states that have transparency with respect those reimbursements
The Chair requested members review all testimony and submit to him any additional questions.
The Chair closed the hearing on SB360.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at approximately 5:00 P.M