79th Session (2017) : Legislative Counsel's Digest
79th Session (2017) : Legislative Counsel's Digest
79th Session (2017) : Legislative Counsel's Digest
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to prescription drugs; requiring the Department of
Health and Human Services to compile certain lists of certain
prescription drugs that are used to treat diabetes; requiring
the manufacturer of a drug included on such lists and a
pharmacy benefit manager to provide certain information to
the Department; requiring the Department to compile a report
based on such information; requiring a manufacturer of
prescription drugs to submit a list of each pharmaceutical
sales representative who markets prescription drugs to certain
persons in this State; prohibiting a pharmaceutical sales
representative who is not included on such a list from
marketing prescription drugs on behalf of a manufacturer;
requiring each pharmaceutical sales representative included
on such a list to report certain information to the Department;
requiring certain nonprofit organizations to report to the
Department certain information concerning certain
contributions and benefits received from drug manufacturers,
insurers and pharmacy benefit managers or trade and
advocacy groups for such entities; requiring the Department
to place certain information on its Internet website;
authorizing the Department to impose an administrative
penalty in certain circumstances; providing that certain
information does not constitute a trade secret; imposing
certain requirements on a pharmacy benefit manager;
requiring a private school to allow a pupil to keep and self-
administer certain drugs; requiring certain insurers to provide
certain notice to insureds; providing penalties; and providing
other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsels Digest:
Existing law requires the organization with the largest membership in this State
which represents the interests of retail merchants to prepare a list of not less than
100 prescription drugs most commonly prescribed to residents of this State. (NRS
439.905) Existing law also requires the Department of Health and Human Services
to place on the Internet website maintained by the Department certain information
reported by pharmacies concerning the prices charged by the pharmacies for drugs
that appear on that list. (NRS 439.915) Section 3.6 of this bill requires the
Department to compile: (1) a list of prescription drugs that the Department
determines to be essential for treating diabetes in this State; and (2) a list of such
prescription drugs that have been subject to a significant price increase within the
immediately preceding 2 calendar years. Section 3.8 of this bill requires the
manufacturer of a prescription drug included on the list of essential diabetes drugs
to submit to the Department an annual report that contains certain information
concerning the cost of the drug. Section 4 of this bill requires the manufacturer of a
drug included on the list of essential diabetes drugs that have undergone a
substantial cost increase to submit to the Department a report concerning the
reasons for the cost increase. Section 4.2 of this bill requires a pharmacy benefit
manager to report certain information concerning essential diabetes drugs to the
Department. Section 9 of this bill provides that any information that a manufacturer
of an essential diabetes drug, a pharmacy benefit manager or a pharmaceutical sales
representative is required to report is not a trade secret. Section 4.3 of this bill
requires the Department to analyze the information submitted by such
manufacturers and compile a report concerning the reasons for and effect of the
pricing of essential diabetes drugs.
Section 4.9 of this bill requires a nonprofit organization that advocates for
patients or funds medical research in this State to post on its Internet website or, if
the nonprofit organization does not maintain an Internet website, submit to the
Department certain information concerning payments, donations and anything else
of value that the organization receives from manufacturers of prescription drugs,
certain third parties or pharmacy benefit managers or trade or advocacy groups for
such entities. Section 6 of this bill requires the Department to place on the Internet
website maintained by the Department: (1) the information and lists compiled by
the Department pursuant to sections 3.6, 4.3 and 4.6; and (2) the information
submitted to the Department pursuant to sections 3.8 and 4.9. Section 6.5 of this
bill provides that the Department is not liable for any act, omission, error or
technical problem that results in the failure to provide information or the provision
of any incorrect information placed on the Internet website of the Department.
Section 7 of this bill requires the Department to adopt any necessary regulations
concerning the reporting of information by manufacturers and nonprofit
organizations for inclusion on the Internet website of the Department. Section 26.3
of this bill requires an insurer that offers or issues a policy of individual health
insurance and uses a formulary to provide, during each open enrollment period, a
notice of any drugs on the list of essential diabetes drugs that have been removed
from the formulary or will be removed from the formulary during the current plan
year or the next plan year.
Section 4.6 of this bill requires a manufacturer to provide to the Department a
list of each pharmaceutical sales representative who markets prescription drugs to
providers of health care, pharmacies, medical facilities and insurers in this State on
behalf of the manufacturer. Section 4.6 also prohibits a person who is not included
on such a list from marketing prescription drugs on behalf of a manufacturer to
providers of health care, pharmacies, medical facilities and insurers. Additionally,
section 4.6 requires each pharmaceutical sales representative who is included on
such a list to submit an annual report to the Department. Finally, section 4.6
requires the Department to compile an annual report based on the information
submitted by pharmaceutical sales representatives. Section 8 of this bill authorizes
the Department to impose an administrative penalty against a manufacturer,
pharmacy benefit manager, nonprofit organization or pharmaceutical sales
representative who fails to provide the information required by sections 3.8, 4, 4.2,
4.6 and 4.9.
Upon the submission of a written request, existing law requires a public school
to allow a pupil who has asthma, anaphylaxis or diabetes to carry and self-
administer medication to treat his or her disorder while the pupil is on the grounds
of a public school, participating in an activity sponsored by a public school or on a
school bus. (NRS 392.425) Willful failure to carry out this requirement is grounds
to suspend, demote, dismiss or refuse to reemploy a teacher or administrator. (NRS
391.750) Section 8.6 of this bill: (1) imposes similar requirements for private
schools; and (2) makes a willful violation of those requirements a misdemeanor.
Section 19 of this bill provides that a pharmacy benefit manager has a fiduciary
duty to an insurer with which the pharmacy benefit manager has entered into a
contract to manage prescription drug coverage.
Section 20 of this bill prohibits a pharmacy benefit manager from engaging in
certain trade practices.
Federal law prohibits states from regulating an employee benefit plan
established under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. (29
U.S.C. 1144) Section 17 of this bill provides that the requirements that this bill
imposes upon pharmacy benefit managers and insurers do not apply to the
management or provision of prescription drug benefits included in such a plan
unless the plan requires compliance with those provisions.
EXPLANATION Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
acquisition cost of each such drug on the list. The list must
include, without limitation, all forms of insulin and biguanides
marketed for sale in this State.
2. A list of prescription drugs described in subsection 1 that
have been subject to an increase in the wholesale acquisition cost
of a percentage equal to or greater than:
(a) The percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index,
Medical Care Component during the immediately preceding
calendar year; or
(b) Twice the percentage increase in the Consumer Price
Index, Medical Care Component during the immediately
preceding 2 calendar years.
Sec. 3.8. On or before April 1 of each year, the manufacturer
of a prescription drug that appears on the most current list
compiled by the Department pursuant to subsection 1 of section
3.6 of this act shall prepare and submit to the Department, in the
form prescribed by the Department, a report which must include:
1. The costs of producing the drug;
2. The total administrative expenditures relating to the drug,
including marketing and advertising costs;
3. The profit that the manufacturer has earned from the drug
and the percentage of the manufacturers total profit for the
period during which the manufacturer has marketed the drug for
sale that is attributable to the drug;
4. The total amount of financial assistance that the
manufacturer has provided through any patient prescription
assistance program;
5. The cost associated with coupons provided directly to
consumers and for programs to assist consumers in paying
copayments, and the cost to the manufacturer attributable to the
redemption of those coupons and the use of those programs;
6. The wholesale acquisition cost of the drug;
7. A history of any increases in the wholesale acquisition cost
of the drug over the 5 years immediately preceding the date on
which the report is submitted, including the amount of each such
increase expressed as a percentage of the total wholesale
acquisition cost of the drug, the month and year in which each
increase became effective and any explanation for the increase;
8. The aggregate amount of all rebates that the manufacturer
has provided to pharmacy benefit managers for sales of the drug
within this State; and
9. Any additional information prescribed by regulation of the
Department for the purpose of analyzing the cost of prescription