S*0225(Rat #0002, Act #0095 of 2015)  Joint Resolution, By Cromer and Setzler
 A JOINT RESOLUTION TO SUSPEND PROVISO 105.15 OF PART 1B OF THE 2014-2015
 APPROPRIATIONS ACT, RELATING TO REIMBURSEMENT RATES PAID TO PHARMACIES
 PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE HEALTH PLAN BY CATAMARAN, THE CONTRACTED PHARMACY
 BENEFIT MANAGER FOR THE PLAN. - ratified title

   12/10/14  Senate Prefiled
   12/10/14  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance
   01/13/15  Senate Introduced and read first time
                     (Senate Journal-page 141)
   01/13/15  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance
                     (Senate Journal-page 141)
   01/27/15  Senate Committee report: Favorable Finance
                     (Senate Journal-page 18)
   01/28/15  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 33)
   01/28/15  Senate Roll call Ayes-38  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 33)
   01/29/15  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 11)
   02/03/15  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 25)
   02/03/15  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
                     (House Journal-page 25)
   02/11/15  House  Recalled from Committee on Ways and Means
                     (House Journal-page 37)
   02/17/15  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 6)
   02/17/15  House  Roll call Yeas-100  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 7)
   02/18/15  House  Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 10)
   03/05/15         Ratified R 2
   03/09/15         Signed By Governor
   03/11/15         Effective date 03/09/15
   08/17/15         Act No. 95

(A95, R2, S225)

A JOINT RESOLUTION TO SUSPEND PROVISO 105.15 OF PART 1B OF THE 2014-2015 APPROPRIATIONS ACT, RELATING TO REIMBURSEMENT RATES PAID TO PHARMACIES PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE HEALTH PLAN BY CATAMARAN, THE CONTRACTED PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER FOR THE PLAN.

Whereas, in April 2014, Catamaran, the contracted pharmacy benefit manager for the State Health Plan, made certain adjustments to the reimbursement rates paid to pharmacies participating in the State Health Plan; and

Whereas, following those adjustments, certain independent South Carolina pharmacies raised concerns regarding the degree of the downward adjustments to the reimbursement rates paid for retail generic drug prescriptions; and

Whereas, in an effort to address those concerns, Proviso 105.15 was enacted in the 2014-2015 General Appropriations Act to require that, effective January 1, 2015, all pharmacies participating in the State Health Plan be reimbursed on an equal and uniform per-product basis by the State Health Plan; and

Whereas, in August 2014, the Public Employee Benefit Authority, the administrator of the State Health Plan, reached a contractual agreement with Catamaran to adjust the reimbursement rates paid to the affected independent pharmacies for retail generic prescriptions to rates that are consistent with the rates in effect immediately prior to the adjustments made in April 2014 and that are appropriate to fully, adequately, and properly maintain the State Health Plan's pharmacy network in good faith; and

Whereas, in light of this contractual agreement between the Public Employee Benefit Authority and Catamaran, Proviso 105.15 is no longer necessary to address the concerns of the affected independent pharmacies and, in fact, the implementation of Proviso 105.15 would essentially negate the effect of that agreement. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Provision of State Health Plan suspended

SECTION    1.    Effective January 1, 2015, Proviso 105.15 of Part IB of the 2014-2015 General Appropriations Act shall be suspended and of no effect for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2014-2015.

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 5th day of March, 2015.

Approved the 9th day of March, 2015.