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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:
SECTION 1. Effective January 1, 2015, Proviso 105.15 of Part 1B of the 2014-2015 General Appropriations Act shall be suspended and of no effect for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2014-2015.
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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