Kansas Senate advances bipartisan plan to curb pharmacy benefit managers

The Kansas Senate passed, 32-8, a bipartisan bill (SB360) to tighten state oversight of pharmacy benefit managers, mandating price and reimbursement transparency, ensuring pharmacies are reimbursed at or above NADAC, and creating dispensing fees to support local and rural pharmacies. The measure targets practices like spread pricing and limited PBM audits, aiming to curb PBM power and reduce costs for consumers. The bill advances to the Kansas House, with supporters arguing it protects independent pharmacies and patients, while opponents warn it could raise insurance costs and challenge federal changes already underway.