Posted: August 28, 2018
On Friday, August 24th, Illinois’ Governor signed HB4146 into law, providing patients much needed protections from non-medical switching.
Final approval of the measure capped a multi-year effort to provide continuity of care for stable patients, and followed a lengthy battle in both the House and Senate, through which CSRO worked extensively to help guide the measure to passage. These efforts included testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Medicaid Managed Care by CSRO Vice-President Madelaine Feldman.
The enacted legislation provides physicians with a mechanism to override mid-year formulary or utilization management restrictions that would negatively affect patient cost-sharing obligations. Although the legislation is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction for Illinois patients.
CSRO’s work, however, is not finished. Proper implementation and compliance with the law on the part of health plans and pharmacy benefit managers will be as important as the passage of the law itself. CSRO will continue working with a broad array of stakeholders to ensure that complaints are properly documented and appropriate enforcement action is taken.
