Bill Text: TX SB493 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to protection of certain disclosures and communications by pharmacists and pharmacies regarding prescription drug benefits.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2025-06-20 - Effective on 9/1/25 [SB493 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB493-Enrolled.html
| S.B. No. 493 | ||
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| relating to protection of certain disclosures and communications by | ||
| pharmacists and pharmacies regarding prescription drug benefits. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 4151, Insurance Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 4151.155 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 4151.155. CERTAIN DISCLOSURES AND COMMUNICATIONS BY | ||
| PHARMACIST OR PHARMACY PROTECTED. (a) A pharmacy benefit manager | ||
| may not, by contract or otherwise, prohibit or restrict a | ||
| pharmacist or pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference | ||
| between the enrollee's out-of-pocket cost for a prescription drug | ||
| under the enrollee's prescription drug benefit and the | ||
| out-of-pocket cost without submitting a claim under the enrollee's | ||
| prescription drug benefit. | ||
| (b) A provision in a pharmacy benefit manager's pharmacy | ||
| benefit network contract is void and unenforceable if the provision | ||
| prohibits or restricts a pharmacist or pharmacy from: | ||
| (1) informing an enrollee of any difference between | ||
| the enrollee's out-of-pocket cost for a prescription drug under the | ||
| enrollee's prescription drug benefit and the out-of-pocket cost | ||
| without submitting a claim under the enrollee's prescription drug | ||
| benefit; or | ||
| (2) communicating with plan sponsors or | ||
| administrators regarding member services with respect to | ||
| prescription drug benefits, pharmacy services and benefits, | ||
| network access and adequacy with respect to prescription drug | ||
| benefits, partnership opportunities, or prescription claim | ||
| reimbursement. | ||
| SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
| to a contract or agreement entered into, amended, or renewed on or | ||
| after the effective date of this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 493 passed the Senate on | ||
| April 10, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that | ||
| the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 22, 2025, by the | ||
| following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 493 passed the House, with | ||
| amendment, on May 20, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 147, | ||
| Nays 0, two present not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| Approved: | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
