Legislation would broaden the authority of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board
WHAT: Senate Finance Committee hearing on SB 388 to expand the authority of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board
WHO: Witnesses to include:
– Lead Sponsor Senator Dawn Gile
– Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski
– Howard County Executive Calvin Ball
– Marylanders who have been hurt by high drug costsKey
– Maryland Organizations including faith communities, AARP, NAACP and 1199SEIU
– Vincent DeMarco, President, Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition
WHEN: Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 2p.m.
WHERE: East Miller Senate Office Building, Room 3, 11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD, 2140
The Senate Finance Committee will hear a major bill to expand the authority of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board on Feb. 7th. The Board now is authorized to develop upper payment limits for certain high-cost drugs paid for by state and local government. The legislation sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Dawn Gile would expand the Board’s authority to develop similar upper payment limits for high-cost drugs for all Marylanders.
The Prescription Drug Affordability Board, created in 2019 as the first of its kind in the country, has worked tirelessly to determine how to bring down the high costs of drugs. The General Assembly charged the Board with developing strategies to aid local and state governments in reducing the cost of providing prescriptions to their employees, a recognition of just how much governments must pay for drug coverage for their employees.
The Board will soon take a major step and announce upper payment limits for certain expensive drugs – which will help bring down drug costs for governments and save taxpayer dollars.
Prior to the hearing, advocates will gather at 11:30 am at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church on Church Circle in Annapolis to advocate for enactment of SB 388.
