Bill > SB61

This bill modifies the rules for prescription medications for state prisoners by removing some existing language and adding new provisions related to drug purchasing and substitution. Specifically, the bill allows the Department of Corrections to enter into agreements or collaborative purchasing structures to acquire pharmaceutical agents at lower costs, and requires pharmacists to only substitute generic drugs that are less expensive than the original prescribed medication. The bill eliminates previous requirements that notifications about generic substitutions be made in the practitioner's own handwriting and removes references to Medicaid fee-for-service clients. The commissioner of the Department of Corrections retains the ability to waive these requirements if necessary to ensure prescription availability or avoid serious economic hardship. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage, and while the exact financial impact is not precisely calculable, the Department of Corrections anticipates potential cost savings by negotiating directly with drug manufacturers and eliminating third-party expenses.

Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=979&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=SB61