Requires all peace officers to carry epinephrine autoinjectors in their vehicles or on their person police departments to budget sufficient funds to purchase the epinephrine and autoinjectors and for training of every peace officer.
Maddy summaryHB 5860 would prohibit Rhode Island state entities, health insurance plans, and participating ERISA plans from purchasing prescription drugs above a federally set "maximum fair price" (based on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rates). The law requires these entities to use any savings from this price cap to directly reduce costs for consumers, with a focus on addressing health equity disparities. Annual reports detailing savings and how they were used to lower consumer costs must be submitted to the state insurance commissioner. This bill affects all state-funded health programs, private health insurers, and employer-sponsored health plans that choose to participate.
Requires prescription drug manufacturers to file a detailed, updated list of each pharmaceutical sales representative engaged by the manufacturer and to pay an annual fee for each name listed with the department of business regulation.
Directs the state board of pharmacy to annually identify up to fifteen prescription drugs with increased costs and provide the list to the attorney general to obtain reasons for the cost increases.
Provides certain controls over prescription drug costs by imposing transparency, oversight and accountability requirements on commercial insurers and their pharmacy benefit managers.
Maddy summaryHB 5620 regulates prescription drug price increases in Rhode Island by imposing penalties on manufacturers who raise prices without supporting medical evidence. It targets drugs identified as having "unsupported price increases" through the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) annual report. Manufacturers with over $250,000 in annual sales within the state face a penalty equal to 80% of the revenue difference between actual sales and what would have been earned at the previous year’s wholesale cost (adjusted for inflation). This law directly affects pharmaceutical companies selling prescription drugs in Rhode Island and aims to curb unjustified price hikes.
Maddy summaryHB 5254 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reimburse pharmacists for prescription drugs at a minimum of the national average cost pharmacies pay to acquire drugs plus a dispensing fee equal to Rhode Island's current Medicaid rate for such services. If the national average cost is unavailable, PBMs must pay the wholesale acquisition cost plus the same dispensing fee. This bill directly affects PBMs and pharmacies in Rhode Island by establishing clear reimbursement standards and mandating transparency in financial arrangements. It also authorizes the Health Insurance Commissioner to impose fines of up to $10,000 per violation for non-compliance, aiming to ensure fair compensation and competitive practices.
Requires the secretary of the executive office of health and human services to monitor and mandate changes to the price-setting practices of pharmacy benefit managers to prohibit the spread pricing payment model.
Establishes the Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program for the importation of wholesale prescription drugs from Canada, to provide savings to Rhode Island consumers.
Maddy summaryHB 5507 gradually increases the minimum cash wage for employees in tipped occupations (like restaurants and hotels) who rely on gratuities. Starting from $3.89 per hour in 2017, it raises this rate by $0.50 annually until 2026, then increases by $2.00 each year through 2030 to reach $14.95 per hour. By January 1, 2031, these workers will receive the same minimum wage as non-tipped employees, eliminating the tip credit. The bill directly affects tipped workers in qualifying industries and requires employers to pay at least the stated cash wage without deducting gratuities below the specified thresholds.
