§ 70.405.020 — Prescription drug affordability board.

Washington § 70.405.020

• Jurisdiction: Washington
• Title 70: PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
• Ch. 70.405: PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY BOARD

Text

(1) The prescription drug affordability board is established, to include five members who have expertise in health care economics or clinical medicine appointed by the governor.

(2) Board members shall serve for a term of five years and members may be reappointed by the governor for additional terms.

(3) No board member or advisory group member may be an employee of, a board member of, or consultant to a prescription drug manufacturer, pharmacy benefit manager, health carrier, prescription drug wholesale distributor, or related trade association, except that a representative from the prescription drug industry serving on an advisory group may be an employee, consultant, or board member of a prescription drug manufacturer or related trade association and shall not be deemed to have a conflict of interest pursuant to subsection (4) of this section.

(4)(a) Board members, advisory group members, staff members, and contractors providing services on behalf of the board shall recuse themselves from any board activity in any case in which they have a conflict of interest.

(b) For the purposes of this section, a conflict of interest means an association, including a financial or personal association, that has the potential to bias or appear to bias an individual's decisions in matters related to the board or the activities of the board.

(5) The board shall establish advisory groups consisting of relevant stakeholders, including but not limited to patients and patient advocates for the condition treated by the drug and one member who is a representative of the prescription drug industry, for each drug affordability review conducted by the board pursuant to RCW 70.405.040 . Advisory group members are immune from civil liability for any official act performed in good faith as a member of the group.

(6) The authority shall provide administrative support to the board and any advisory group of the board and shall adopt rules governing their operation that shall include how and when the board will use and discuss confidential information that is exempt from public disclosure. The rules adopted under this subsection may not go into effect until at least 90 days after the next regular legislative session.

(7) Board members shall be compensated for participation in the work of the board in accordance with a personal services contract to be executed after appointment and before commencement of activities related to the work of the board.

(8) A simple majority of the board's membership constitutes a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.

(9) All meetings of the board must be open and public, except that the board may hold executive sessions to the extent permitted by chapter 42.30 RCW.

(10) The board may not hold its first meeting until at least one year after the authority publishes its first report on the impact that drug costs, rebates, and other discounts have on health care premiums pursuant to RCW 43.71C.100 .

(11) The board must coordinate and collaborate with the authority, other boards, work groups, and commissions related to prescription drug costs and emerging therapies, including but not limited to the health care cost transparency board established in chapter 70.390 RCW, and the universal health care commission established in RCW 41.05.840 . All coordination and collaboration by the board pursuant to this subsection must comply with chapter 42.30 RCW, the open public meetings act.

(12) The board may collaborate with prescription drug affordability boards established in other states.

Legislative History

[2022 c 153 s 2.]