HB 18-1097

HB 18-1097, also known as the Patient Choice Of Pharmacy bill, ensures that people with health insurance in Colorado can choose any licensed pharmacy they want for their prescription drugs without facing extra fees or penalties. This means patients have more freedom to pick a pharmacy based on convenience, cost, or other factors important to them. The bill was signed into law and is now active, so insurance companies and pharmacies must follow these rules to protect patient choice.

Official Summary

The bill prohibits a carrier that offers or issues a health benefit plan that covers pharmaceutical services, including prescription drug coverage, or a pharmacy benefit management firm managing those benefits for a carrier, from: Limiting or restricting a covered person's ability to select a pharmacy or pharmacist of the covered person's choice if certain conditions are met; Imposing a copayment, fee, or other cost-sharing requirement for selecting a pharmacy of the covered person's choosing; Imposing other conditions on a covered person, pharmacist, or pharmacy that limit or restrict a covered person's ability to use a pharmacy of the covered person's choosing; or Denying a pharmacy or pharmacist the right to participate in any of its pharmacy network contracts in this state or as a contracting provider in this state if the pharmacy or pharmacist has a valid license in Colorado and the pharmacy or pharmacist agrees to specified conditions.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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