LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Prescription medication costs are forcing some hard choices for many Nevadans. Two years ago, a proposal that offered hope sailed through the Democrat-majority Nevada Legislature only to be vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Democratic Assem. Venicia Considine, who represents parts of Henderson and east Las Vegas, is trying to pass what is essentially the same bill this session.
Fellow Democratic lawmakers asked her to explain why she thinks it has a chance this year.
“The needs are still here,” Considine said.
“I am hopeful that the governor will do the right thing this time.”
What looks to be a replay of the same battle began Wednesday in Carson City as Considine defended her strategy that would have Nevada piggyback onto lower prices negotiated by the federal government. President Joe Biden authorized Medicare to negotiate the maximum fair price (MFP) for 10 prescriptions.
“The bill is designed to reduce the cost of certain high-cost, non-competitive, life-changing drugs by extending the benefits of federally-negotiated Medicare drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act to Nevadans who are not on Medicare and need these specific life-sustaining drugs,” Considine said.
But the bill’s opponents say it could have some important unintended consequences. Pharmacies could end up eating the price difference, and many might just stop selling the medications because it’s not profitable.
Considine has heard that argument and several others before. But she is intent on pushing through Assembly Bill 259 (AB259). It has the potential to cut the cost of 10 medications 25% to 60% for Nevadans who would otherwise only qualify for the discounts if they were on Medicare. The medications are:
- Eliquis (for blood clots)
- Jardiance (treats diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease)
- Xarelto (for blood clots, other coronary and arterial treatments)
- Januvia (for diabetes)
- Farxiga (treats diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease)
- Entresto (treats heart failure)
- Enbrel (for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis)
- Imbruvica (treats blood cancers)
- Stelara (for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
- Fiasp, Fiasp FlexTouch, Fiasp PenFill, NovoLog, NovoLog FlexPen, NovoLog PenFill (for diabetes)
The MFP for these 10 drugs goes into effect in 2026. In January, Medicare announced the 15 drugs that it would negotiate on with prices starting in 2027: 1.) Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, 2.) Trelegy Ellipta, 3.) Xtandi, 4.) Pomalyst, 5.) Ibrance, 6.) Ofev, 7.) Linzess, 8.) Calquence, 9.) Austedo, Austedo XR, 10.) Breo Ellipta, 11.) Tradjenta, 12.) Xifaxan, 13.) Vraylar, 14.) Janumet, Janumet XR, and 15.) Otezla.
Considine criticized corporate drug manufacturers and pharmacies for turning a blind eye to what prices are doing to consumers, describing them as bullies.
“What about the people who are suffering who need these drugs and they can’t afford them? What about the idea of our state’s responsibility for the health and safety of all Nevadans?” Considine said.
Another Assembly Democrat, Erica Roth, said when she was campaigning, she frequently heard from constituents about cost of living concerns. “hat came down to housing and prescription drug costs,” she said. Others on the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor echoed her remarks.
Among those who testified in opposition to AB259 was Adam Porith, vice president of pharmacy at Renown Health, which dominates health care in Northern Nevada with its flagship Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. Porith was representing the Nevada Society of Health System Pharmacists.
Porith said AB259 would undercut the work done by Medicare, which doesn’t work in the simple way envisioned by Considine’s proposal.
“Under the federal plan, pharmacies will purchase medications at their normal wholesale price. Pharmacy claims for Medicare patients will then flow to a Medicare transaction facilitator, who will inform drug manufacturers of qualifying prescriptions for which to apply a rebate to pay the pharmacy that will eventually equate down the line to what the MFP is,” Porith said.
Pharmacies are still waiting for official word on how everything is actually going to work with the federal government. AB259 doesn’t have any of that process built in, he said.
