Bill > HF1652

This bill establishes new regulations for health plans regarding prescription drug formulary changes during a plan year. Specifically, the bill prohibits health plans from removing a drug from their formulary or increasing an enrollee's cost for a drug that was previously prescribed during the same plan year, with a few key exceptions. These exceptions include removing drugs deemed unsafe by the FDA, drugs withdrawn by the FDA or manufacturer, or drugs with new safety warnings that suggest imminent patient harm. The bill also allows health plans to remove a brand name drug from their formulary if they simultaneously add a generic or therapeutically equivalent drug at a lower cost, provided they give at least 60 days' notice to prescribers, pharmacists, and affected enrollees. The legislation defines key terms such as "drug," "enrollee," "formulary," and "health plan," and will take effect on January 1, 2026, applying to health plans offered, sold, issued, or renewed on or after that date. The primary goal of this bill appears to be protecting patients from unexpected and potentially costly changes to their prescription drug coverage during a single plan year.

Health and Social Services

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1652&ssn=0&y=2025