Signed into law in April, the legislation will ban direct and indirect PBM ownership of pharmacies, effective Jan. 1, 2026. It addresses longstanding concerns about conflicts of interest, market consolidation and patient access created by vertically integrated PBM pharmacy models.
Georgia Expands Medical Education Funding as SB 130 Becomes Law
The bill also enhances the state’s service cancelable loan program to help address critical shortages in the healthcare workforce. Much of the language draws from model policy previously developed by the ACR.
State Legislative Update, Spring 2025
With the state legislative session in full swing, the ACR is currently tracking 114 pieces of state legislation across many issue areas, including utilization management, prescription drug review boards and vaccines.
Rheumatology 2025 State Legislative Preview
As state legislatures begin to convene their sessions in 2025, several key issues related to rheumatology are expected to take center stage, including drug costs, utilization management, telehealth and copay accumulators.
State Copay Accumulator Legislation: An Overview
As uncertainty persists around federal policies regarding copay accumulator programs, a growing number of states are stepping in. A total of 21 states have banned the programs and others are increasing transparency requirements
State by State—an Update on Proposed Legislation to Benefit Rheumatology
The state legislative tracker shows rheumatology-related bills the ACR is actively tracking in state legislatures across the country. It lists bills by issue area and state and is regularly updated to show each bill’s progression through the legislative process.
Spring 2024 State Legislative Update
The ACR is actively monitoring more than 60 pieces of legislation, focusing on such key issues as copay accumulators, utilization management reform, gold card programs and other emerging concerns. Two states have passed utilization management reform bills this year.
2024 State Legislative Preview
With state legislatures now in session, the ACR is working with our partners to ensure that the voice of the rheumatology community is heard. Here is a look at some of the bills we are monitoring and the trends we expect to play out over the 2024 legislative calendar.
Implications of Florida’s Electronic Health Records Data Storage Law
Healthcare is a high-priority target for cyber criminals. State-level measures, such as a new Florida law, fail to address the root problems of data security but may affect how providers manage patient data.
Slow but Steady: 2023 State Legislative Progress
This legislative season has seen key pharmacy benefit manager reforms but slow movement on other issues, such as copay accumulators and utilization management. The ACR is also monitoring emerging topics, such as biomarker testing and post-public health emergency telehealth reforms.