Bill Text: TX HB4800 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to prohibited discriminatory practices by pharmaceutical drug manufacturers against patient assistance program applicants.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-22 - Referred to Health Care Reform, Select [HB4800 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4800-Introduced.html
88R16680 LRM-F | ||
By: Morales of Maverick | H.B. No. 4800 |
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relating to prohibited discriminatory practices by pharmaceutical | ||
drug manufacturers against patient assistance program applicants. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 441, Health and Safety | ||
Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 441. DRUG COST TRANSPARENCY AND AFFORDABILITY | ||
SECTION 2. Section 441.0001, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivisions (1-a) | ||
and (1-b) to read as follows: | ||
(1) "Advocacy service" means a health care provider | ||
or other person who, on behalf of health benefit plan sponsors, | ||
administrators, or pharmacy benefit managers, assists patients | ||
with enrolling in patient assistance programs. The term does not | ||
include a health benefit plan issuer. | ||
(1-a) "Animal health product" means a medical product | ||
approved and licensed for use in animal or veterinary medicine, | ||
including a pharmaceutical, a biologic, an insecticide, and a | ||
parasiticide. | ||
(1-b) "Patient assistance program" means a program, | ||
grant, scholarship, or foundation that provides to a patient | ||
financial assistance, health benefit plan premium support, | ||
drug-free products or services, or services associated with the | ||
safe use and administration of a drug. | ||
SECTION 3. Chapter 441, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subchapter B-1 to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER B-1. PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS | ||
Sec. 441.0071. PROHIBITED PRACTICES BY PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG | ||
MANUFACTURER. A pharmaceutical drug manufacturer may not reject a | ||
patient's application for the manufacturer's patient assistance | ||
program based on the patient's: | ||
(1) race, color, national origin, sex, age, or | ||
disability; | ||
(2) use of an advocacy service in the application | ||
process; or | ||
(3) benefits and coverage under a health benefit plan. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |