HI SCR93

Discourages health plans from creating specialty tiers for prescription drugs that require patients to pay significantly higher copayments or coinsurance percentages.

Identifies specialty drugs as new, infusible, or injectable biologics typically used to treat serious conditions including cancer, autoimmune diseases, hemophilia, hepatitis, and immune deficiencies.

Opposes specialty tiers on grounds that high out-of-pocket costs prevent patients from following prescribed treatment protocols and force choices between medication and basic living expenses.

Contends specialty tiers violate insurance principles by making sickest patients pay more and create barriers to treatment rather than reducing health care costs.

Directs transmission of the resolution to the Governor, Directors of Health, Human Services, and Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Insurance Commissioner for distribution to state insurers.