MINUTES OF THE

SENATE BUSINESS AND LABOR STANDING COMMITTEE

215 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

                                                            Tuesday, March 3, 2015

 

 

 

Members Present:     Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair

                                    Sen. Gene Davis

                                    Sen. Deidre Henderson

                                    Sen. Karen Mayne

                                    Sen. Todd Weiler

 

Members Excused:    Sen. Stuart Adams

                                    Sen. Ralph Okerlund 

 

Staff Present:             Mr. Bryant Howe, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Karen Allred, Committee Secretary

 

 

NOTE:  A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

 

 

Chair Bramble called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. and announced that S.B. 266 would to go Interim Study and would not be heard today.

 

MOTION:  Sen. moved to approve the minutes of the March 2, 2015 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Mayne and Sen. Davis absent for the vote.    

 

S.B.   265        Insurance Coverage for Abuse Deterrent Opioid Analgesic Drug Products                              (J. Stevenson)

 

Sen. Stevenson explained the bill to the committee assisted by Dr. Lynn Webster, Vice President,

PRA Health Sciences, who also answered questions from the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Henderson moved to adopt the following amendment:

1.      Page 1, Line 27 through Page 2, Line 34:

           


             27        (1)  As used in this section:

             28            (a) "Abuse-deterrent formulation" means drug properties defined by the Food and Drug Administration guidance or other Food and Drug Administration policy that target expected routes of abuse. 

         {(a)}    (b)    "Abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug product" means an opioid analgesic drug

             29        product with labeling approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration that

             30        indicates that the product has properties that are expected to reduce abuse of the product.

            

 

 

             31                  {(b)}    (c)    "Cost-sharing" means any coverage limit, copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or

             32        similar out-of-pocket expense incurred by an insured under a policy or certificate of health

             33        insurance.

         (d) "Generic drug type" means the chemical or generic USAN name of those drug products having exactly the same active chemical ingredients in exactly the same strength and quantity.   

             34               {(c)}    (e)   (i)  "Health benefit plan" means a contract for health insurance described in Section


 

1.         Page 2, Line 38

           


             38                {(d)}    (f)    "Lowest cost-sharing level" means the cost-sharing requirements applied to a drug


 

2.         Page 2, Lines 39 through 40:

    


             39        product for which an insured incurs the least amount of out-of-pocket expenses.

             40                 {(e)}    (g)    "Opioid analgesic drug product" means a drug product in the opioid analgesic drug


 

3.         Page 2, Lines 42 through 53:

           


             42        combined with other substances in a single product or dosage form.

         (h) "USAN name" means the official nonproprietary name published in the United States Pharmacopeia Convention Dictionary of United States Adopted Names and International Drug Names by the United States Adopted Names Council. 

             43               (2)  A health benefit plan that provides coverage of opioid analgesic drug products shall

             44        provide coverage of   one or more  abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug products   for each opioid generic drug type and abuse-deterrent formulation of the specific generic drug type    .

             45               {(3)  A health benefit plan may not impose:

             46        (a)  cost-sharing requirements on the coverage of abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug

             47        products that exceed the lowest cost-sharing level for any other prescription drug covered by

             48        the plan; or

             49        (b)  prior authorization requirements or other utilization control measures to require

             50        initial treatment using an opioid analgesic drug product without abuse-deterrent properties

             51        before an insured may be prescribed or dispensed an abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug

             52        product.} 

             53          {(4)}    (3)    A health benefit plan may impose on an abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug

 

4.         Page 3, Lines 54 through 58

 

 

    


                                    54             product prior authorization requirements or other utilization control measures only if the same

                                    55             requirements or measures are applied to   {another}    the same   opioid   {analgesic drug product}    generic drug type   without

                                    56      abuse-deterrent properties.

                                    57            {(5)}    (4)    An insurer may not:

                                    58      (a)  increase the lowest cost-sharing level imposed on drugs covered by the plan in

 

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Todd Kiser, Utah Insurance Commissioner

                    

Spoke for the bill:       Jan Favero Chambers, President, National Fibromyalgia Association and Patient

                                   

Spoke against the bill:       Kelly Atkinson, Utah Health Insurance Association

                                          Travis Wood, Utah Health Plans

                                          Eliana White, Lobbyist, Select Health

 

MOTION:   Sen. Davis moved to further amend the bill as follows:

 

1.        Page 2, Line 57 through Page 3, Line 61:

           


             57               {(5)  An insurer may not:

             58            (a)  increase the lowest cost-sharing level imposed on drugs covered by the plan in

                                    59      order to comply with this section; or

                                    60             (b)  create a financial disincentive for a prescriber or dispenser to prescribe or dispense

                                    61      an abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug product. } 

 

The motion failed with Sen. Weiler and Sen. Davis voting in favor, Sen. Bramble, Sen. Mayne,

and Sen. Henderson voting in opposition.

 

At the request of the sponsor, the committee held the bill.

 

Sen. Henderson assumed the Committee Chair.

 

S.B. 278       Motion Picture Incentive Amendments (C. Bramble)

 

Sen. Bramble explained the bill to the committee.

 

 

 

MOTION:    Sen. Bramble moved to pass the bill favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Bramble moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

 S.B.   287    Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act Amendments (C. Bramble)

 

Sen. Bramble explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:   Scott Hymas, CEO, R.C. Willey

                                Keith Woodwell, State Division of Securities

 

MOTION:   Sen. Bramble moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Bramble moved to the bill on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Sen. Bramble resumed the Committee Chair.

 

H.B.   273    Interest Rate Swap Amendments (J. Knotwell)

 

Rep. Knotwell explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Bramble moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Bramble moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

H.J.R.  7     1st Sub.     Joint Resolution Calling for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the  

                                     U.S. Constitution (K. Powell)

 

Rep. Powell explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       David Luangrath, President, Southern Utah College Republicans

                                    Mike Brown, I Am An American.org.

                                    Candace Daly, National Federation of Small Business

 

Spoke against the bill:        Bliss Tew, Citizen

                                           Jason Christensen, Chair, Independent American Party

                                           Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum

                                           Louis Welch, Citizen

                                           Vincent Newmeyer, Citizen

                                           Loy Brunson, Citizen

                                           Julie Blaney, Citizen

 

MOTION:  Sen. Henderson moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed with Sen. Bramble, Sen. Henderson and Sen. Weiler voting in favor of the bill and Sen. Davis and Sen. Mayne voting in opposition.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Davis moved to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Chair Bramble adjourned the meeting at 5:54 p.m.

 

 

 

 

_____________________

Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair