Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont commemorated the enactment of a state law created to reform and address the burdens residents face surrounding increasing prescription drug costs.
Lamont held a bill signing ceremony for the legislation Wednesday morning at Arrow Pharmacy in Hartford.
Those present at the signing attributed the bill’s success to bipartisan support. State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, a Republican, said this effort highlights the magnitude of the issue.
“Unfortunately, that support is also a testament to the incredible stress that these drug prices are putting on all the residents of our state. The new law is going to increase transparency in prescription drug pricing and is also a step in the right direction for lowering costs in the future.”
Nora Duncan, state director of the AARP, lauded lawmakers' efforts to address the concerns of Connecticut constituents who have lamented over rising drug prices.
“In AARP polling, 94% of Connecticut residents said that the state should take action to address prescription drug affordability,” Duncan said.
The bill includes provisions demanding that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) give health plans the option to pay the same price for prescription drugs as the PBM pays pharmacies.
It also eliminates a contentious provision that allowed penalization of pharmacists for disclosing the cost of a medication to a patient, among other efforts.
Andrea Barton-Reeves, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), hopes the bill will address the discrepancy between pharmacy funding and patient access.
“The amount of money that the Medicaid program spends on pharmacy really takes away from other resources that are desperately needed for other parts of our community, ” Barton-Reeves said.
Lamont said the fight for fair pricing in pharmaceuticals is far from over. Life-saving medications continue to be inaccessible to many patients across Connecticut.
“Two percent of our prescriptions represent 50% of our prescription pharmaceutical costs,” Lamont said.
Lamont urged the importance of group purchasing, which allows states to band together and purchase medications in bulk, leading to reduced prices.
He referenced the ArrayRx program, established in 2023, which offers up to 80% off certain prescription drugs as a result of group purchasing.
The bill also includes a Canadian prescription drug importation program. This program grants wholesalers the ability to bring in non-controlled drugs from Canada. Lamont lauded the Canadian system for its purchasing power.
The measure could help lower costs for consumers and enhance the state’s negotiating power.
Supporters say the bill marks a significant step toward pharmaceutical access and affordability in Connecticut.
