SLS 16RS-365 ENGROSSED
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 131
BY SENATOR JOHNS
HEALTH CARE. Provides for alternative options to prescription drugs. (8/1/16)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 22:1060.6, relative to the prescription drug cost; to provide for pharmacist
3 communication with patients; to provide for immunity; to provide for an effective
4 date; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 22:1060.6 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §1060.6. Affordable alternative options to prescription drugs
8 A. If a pharmacist dispensing a prescription drug to a patient has
9 information that indicates that the copayment applied by the patient’s health
10 maintenance organization exceeds a cost that may otherwise be available for the
11 same prescription drug, the patient shall only be required to pay the lower
12 amount and no further charge to the patient or plan sponsor shall be incurred
13 on such prescription.
14 B. Any contract provision between a health insurance issuer or its agent
15 and a pharmacy that is contrary to the provisions in Subsection A of this
16 Section shall become void and unenforceable.
17 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on August 1, 2016; if vetoed by the
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 131
SLS 16RS-365 ENGROSSED
1 governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on
2 August 1, 2016, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
DIGEST
SB 131 Engrossed 2016 Regular Session Johns
Proposed law provides that a patient getting prescription drugs from a pharmacist shall have
the opportunity to pay the copay for their health plan or a lower amount for the same
prescription drug if the pharmacist is aware of a lower amount. Proposed law makes any
contracts with provisions contrary to proposed law void and unenforceable.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Adds R.S. 22:1060.6)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill
1. Clarified that the intended discussion between the pharmacist and patient was
to identify the lower of the cost of the patient’s health plan copay or another
cost that may be available and allow the patient to pay the lesser amount for
the same prescription drug and that any contract provision between a health
plan and a pharmacy to the contrary would be void and unenforceable.
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.