WEST virginia legislature

2019 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2700

By Delegate Howell, Jeffries, D., Pack, Phillips, Worrell, Sypolt, Hott, Martin, C., Cadle and Dean

[Introduced January 28, 2019; Referred
to the Committee on Banking and Insurance then Health and Human Resources.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-28, relating to requiring the Public Employees Insurance Agency to use the West Virginia Medicaid Prescription Plan as its Pharmacy Benefits Manager provided the cost to the end consumer are lower; and requiring rulemaking.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 16. WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES INSURANCE ACT.

§5-16-28. Medicaid drug coverage; rulemaking.

(a) Effective July 1, 2019, and notwithstanding any provision in this code to the contrary, the Public Employees Insurance Agency shall use the West Virginia Medicaid Prescription Plan as its Pharmacy Benefits Manager for all persons, employees and retired employees entitled to prescription drug benefits under this article provided the cost to the end consumer are lower.

(b) The director shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to implement this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Public Employees Insurance Agency to use the West Virginia Medicaid Prescription Plan as its Pharmacy Benefits Manager provided the cost to the end consumer are lower. The bill requires rulemaking.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.