25 LC 62 0212
House Resolution 948
By: Representatives Stephens of the 164
th
, Kelley of the 16
th
, Hawkins of the 27
th
, Buckner
of the 137
th
, and Newton of the 127
th
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on Pharmacy Benefits Managers and Consumer Access
1
to Prescription Medications; and for other purposes.2
WHEREAS, according to the United States Office of Health Policy, the cost of prescription3
drugs has increased at rates exceeding the rate of inflation each year since 2016; and4
WHEREAS, pharmacy benefits managers administer prescription drug insurance benefits,5
negotiate with drug manufacturers and pharmacies, and establish drug formularies and6
pharmacy networks; and7
WHEREAS, pharmacy benefits managers undertake practices that have been criticized and8
investigated by industry stakeholders, including health policy experts, state attorneys general,9
and the Federal Trade Commission; and10
WHEREAS, such policies include leveraging vertical integration to steer patients to11
pharmacy benefits manager affiliate pharmacies, marking up the cost of medications at12
pharmacy benefits manager owned pharmacies, manipulating pharmacy reimbursement rates,13
and engaging in other unfair practices that harm patients, retail pharmacies, payers, and14
employers; and15
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WHEREAS, in 2019, Georgia passed the first pharmacy benefits manager steering laws in
16
the nation but many believe that pharmacy benefits managers continue to steer patients to17
pharmacy benefits manager affiliate pharmacies within this state; and18
WHEREAS, Georgia law requires that pharmacy benefits managers publicly report drug19
prices that are greater than 10 percent over the national average drug acquisition costs and20
such reports have revealed markups for some medications for commercial and government21
payers and markups of thousands of percent above the national average drug acquisition22
costs for medications used to treat multiple sclerosis, cancer, and kidney disease, among23
other medications; and24
WHEREAS, a recent study by the Georgia Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation at25
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College indicates that pharmacy benefits manager practices26
pose risks to patients and independent pharmacies, including increasing the number of27
counties in Georgia without a single pharmacy.28
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:29
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee30
on Pharmacy Benefits Managers and Consumer Access to Prescription Medications.31
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of the following32
members:33
(A) The chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations;34
(B) The chairperson of the House Committee on Health;35
(C) Three other members of the House of Representatives or experts on pharmacy36
benefits managers or consumer access to prescription medication to be appointed by the37
Speaker of the House of Representatives; and38
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(D) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the
39
committee as chairperson of the committee.40
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,41
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or42
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.43
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee44
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or45
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and46
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.47
(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.48
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided49
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.50
(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,51
or state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the committee,52
but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their53
duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they are reimbursed for54
expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.55
(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state56
employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that57
specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia58
Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state59
employees.60
(D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member61
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds62
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds63
appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement64
of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the65
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reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated
66
to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.67
(6) Report.68
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that69
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the70
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to71
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.72
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for73
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)74
of this paragraph.75
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of76
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.77
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with78
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.79
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the80
House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu81
thereof.82
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.83
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