Healthcare (Prescription Drugs)

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1720: Establishes patient safety and quality assurance measures regarding the distribution of patient-specific medication from an insurer-designated pharmacy

Establishes patient safety and quality assurance measures regarding the distribution of patient-specific medication from an insurer-designated pharmacy; prohibits certain "brown bagging" and "white bagging" policies regarding pharmacy provided medications.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes patient safety measures for medication distribution and prohibits policies that could compromise safety, aligning with protecting patient rights and quality healthcare access.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 500: Establishes a generic drug research and development laboratory and production facility and the empire state biosimilar insulin initiative

Establishes a generic drug research and development laboratory and production facility to manufacture generic prescription drugs in the state and the empire state biosimilar insulin initiative, which will develop generic forms of the three most widely used forms of insulin.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates generic drug R&D lab and biosimilar insulin initiative to increase affordable access to essential medications, directly improving patient access and reducing costs for critical treatments.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1722: Relates to reducing pharmacy benefit manager costs

This bill requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to use a pass-through pricing model for health insurance plans, meaning they can only charge health insurers for actual drug costs, dispensing fees paid to pharmacies, and a capped administrative fee. PBMs must disclose and pass through all rebates, discounts, and other financial benefits they receive from drug manufacturers to health plans, and they are prohibited from using "spread pricing" (charging health plans more than the actual pharmacy payment plus a reasonable fee). The bill defines "pharmacy benefit manager" as entities that contract with pharmacies on behalf of health insurers or plans to manage drug benefits. These requirements apply to all health insurers offering coverage under New York's insurance laws and are subject to oversight by the state insurance department.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareForces PBMs to pass rebates to insurers, reducing hidden costs in drug pricing and lowering overall healthcare expenses for plans.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 9045: Relates to reimbursements practices of pharmacy benefit managers

This bill requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reimburse pharmacies for prescription drugs at an amount equal to or greater than the pharmacy's actual cost of procuring the drug. It directly affects independent pharmacies and PBMs by preventing PBMs from underpaying pharmacies below their acquisition cost from wholesalers. Key provisions include: (1) requiring PBMs to adjust reimbursement if a requested drug isn't available at the pharmacy's cost, and (2) prohibiting PBMs from paying pharmacies less than what they pay their own affiliated pharmacies for identical drugs. The law ensures pharmacies are compensated fairly for the drugs they dispense, without referencing specific outcomes or political implications.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates PBMs reimburse pharmacies at actual cost, preventing underpayment and protecting pharmacy access to medications, directly supporting healthcare delivery.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 9270: Extends dependent child coverage for certain individuals to age twenty-nine

This bill extends health insurance coverage for certain young adults in New York. It allows unmarried individuals aged 26 to 29 to remain on their parents' health insurance plans if they: (1) are not eligible for employer-sponsored health coverage, (2) are not enrolled in Medicare, and (3) live, work, or reside in New York State. The change applies to standard health insurance policies covering hospital, medical, surgical, and prescription drug expenses. It specifically targets young adults who would otherwise lose coverage at age 26 but meet these criteria, expanding existing coverage beyond the previous 26-year limit for this group.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends health insurance coverage to young adults (26-29) ineligible for employer plans, expanding access without restrictions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends health insurance benefits for young adults without employer coverage, expanding worker benefit access per Labor & Employment indicators.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6713: Relates to providing transparency in the retail prices of prescription drugs

Requires pharmacies to provide customers directly with the retail (before insurance) price of a prescription, in writing and electronically prior to purchase.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires transparent pricing of prescription drugs, empowering patients to make informed decisions about medication access and costs, aligning with improved patient access indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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passed both · New York · Assembly May 13, 2026

A 8849: Requires the department of health to facilitate the exchange of data between the state prescription drug program and electronic health records

Directs the commissioner of health shall promulgate regulations allowing for any electronic health records integration vendor to obtain state approval to facilitate interoperability between the prescription monitoring program registry and certified electronic health records systems that can connect with any national data sharing hub.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFacilitates data interoperability between prescription monitoring and EHRs, improving healthcare coordination and access to patient records.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4732: Requires that pharmacists get express written consent before substituting a drug product for a less expensive drug product

Requires that pharmacists get express written consent before substituting a drug product for a less expensive drug product, including biological products.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires patient consent for drug substitution, protecting patient choice and rights in medication management per bill language.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Senate May 5, 2026

S 1917: Establishes an emergency insulin program

This bill establishes a state-run emergency insulin program to provide affordable access to analog insulins (life-saving prescription medications for managing type 1 and insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes) for uninsured or underinsured individuals at risk of serious health complications. It creates an emergency insulin program trust fund (funded by state appropriations and contributions from insulin manufacturers) to cover costs, allowing pharmacies with 20+ locations and certain facilities to dispense insulin without individual prescriptions through a sliding-scale cost-sharing system capped at $100 for a 30-day supply. The program must be operational by April 1, 2026, and requires the health commissioner to report annually on program participation, insulin types distributed, costs, and public-private partnerships. The bill directly affects vulnerable diabetic patients and healthcare providers participating in the program, focusing on immediate emergency access rather than long-term coverage changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds emergency insulin program via state appropriations, increasing public health spending and creating a dedicated trust fund per bill's summary.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates state-run emergency insulin program to provide affordable access to life-saving medication for uninsured/underinsured diabetics, directly improving patient access and funding critical healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5625: Relates to requiring additional licensed pharmacists to be on staff during any period in which more than two hundred prescriptions are dispensed

This bill requires pharmacies dispensing over 200 prescriptions in any 14-hour period to have at least two licensed pharmacists on staff during that time. It mandates pharmacies to maintain daily logs showing hourly prescription counts and pharmacist coverage for audit purposes. The bill also prohibits employers from terminating pharmacists who refuse unsafe prescription quotas that endanger patient safety, and bans policies interfering with pharmacists' professional judgment on ethics or drug distribution. The law takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires adequate pharmacist staffing during high-volume periods to prevent errors, protect patient safety, and safeguard pharmacists' professional judgment on ethics.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires two pharmacists during high-volume periods, prohibits termination for refusing unsafe quotas, and protects professional judgment - directly advancing workplace safety and worker rights in employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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