Medi-Cal: pharmacy providers: invoices.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law requires reimbursement to Medi-Cal pharmacy providers for drugs, as prescribed, and authorizes the department to establish a new reimbursement methodology based on average acquisition cost, as defined. Under existing law, Medi-Cal pharmacy providers are required to submit drug price information, including invoice prices, to the department or a vendor designated by the department for the purposes of establishing the average acquisition cost. Under existing law, drug pricing information is confidential and exempt from public disclosure, as specified. This bill would provide that pharmacy invoice information is confidential and exempt from public disclosure, as specified. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.