Important Issues

Today, the Committee on Health passed B23-430, the Access to Biosimilars Amendment Act of 2019, as part of a seven bill and one resolution mark-up.

B23-430 is a "priority support" bill on the MSDC legislative agenda. As introduced, Bill 23-430 authorizes licensed pharmacists to dispense interchangeable biological products, and requires notifications to physicians when such interchangeable biological products are dispensed. The bill will permit physicians and patients to find affordable, effective treatments for many common conditions. MSDC member Dr. Angus Worthing testified in favor of the bill during the fall hearing on the bill.

In addition to the biosimilars bill, the committee advanced two bills that would increase coverage during pregnancy. The first bill, B23-326, the Postpartum Coverage Act of 2019, extends postpartum inpatient and outpatient benefits to at least a year after childbirth. The second bill, B23-584, Pregnancy as a Qualifying Event Act of 2019, requires health insurers to provide a special enrollment period after commencement of a pregnancy.  It allows a person to enroll in or change their health insurance outside of the open enrollment period upon pregnancy.

The highest profile bill passed by the committee is B23-777, the New Hospital at St. Elizabeth's Act of 2020. The markup comes the day after a nine-hour hearing on this bill and the new Howard University Hospital bill. MSDC testified at this hearing, as you can see here.

Other bills passed from the committee include:

• B23-0322, Window Blind and Drape Cord Safety Notification Act of 2020
• B23-0546, Interstate Physical Therapy Compact Approval Act of 2020
• B23-0565, Hearing Aid Sales Amendment Act of 2020
• Appointment of Michelle R. Loggins to Committee on Health Approval Resolution of 2020