Pharmaceuticals: purchasing.

Existing law authorizes the Department of General Services to enter into contracts on a bid or negotiated basis with manufacturers and suppliers of single source or multisource drugs and authorizes the department to obtain from them discounts, rebates, or refunds as permissible under federal law. Existing law authorizes the department, in consultation with specified state agencies, to investigate and implement other options and strategies to achieve the greatest savings on prescription drugs with prescription drug manufacturers and wholesalers, including, among others, coordinating programs offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers that provide prescription drugs for free or at reduced prices. This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2017, to submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on activities that have been or will be undertaken pursuant to the above provisions. The bill would require the report to include specified information, such as the number and description of contracts entered into with manufacturers and suppliers of drugs, including any discounts, rebates, or refunds obtained. The bill would repeal the reporting requirement on January 1, 2021. The bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation that enacts strategies to achieve the greatest savings on prescription drugs with prescription drug manufacturers and wholesalers.