HB5517 - Protection Against Unnecessary Health Care Costs Act

• Establishes Drug Discount Card Program through State Comptroller to lower prescription drug costs and allows pooling of purchasing power with other states and territories for volume discounts.

• Requires pharmaceutical manufacturers employing sales representatives to register annually with Department of Financial and Professional Regulation as pharmaceutical marketing firms, maintain lists of representatives, and report on their activities and drug sample distribution by July 1, 2025.

• Requires pharmaceutical representatives to disclose drug list prices and efficacy variation information by race and ethnicity to prescribing practitioners and pharmacists at each contact.

• Restricts hospital facility fees charged to patients for outpatient services; requires written notice of facility fees in plain language with translations, Medicare rate comparisons, and patient rights to request reductions; prohibits facility fees for certain off-campus services and evaluation/management codes effective July 1, 2025.

• Requires reports on pharmacy benefit managers' prescription drug distribution practices, Medicare Advantage utilization management practices, and high-cost outpatient prescription drugs; mandates health care facilities post notice of certificate of need applications on websites.