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SB 140

Exempt Drugs from Prescription Drug Affordability Board Reviews

2026 Regular Session

Colorado bill exempts certain drugs from state Prescription Drug Affordability Board reviews, reducing oversight of pharmaceutical pricing in the state.

House Committee on Health & Human Services Postpone Indefinitely
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Bill Summary · SB 140

Legislative bill overview

SB 140 would prevent Colorado's Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) from reviewing and regulating certain drugs, effectively exempting them from the state's drug price oversight mechanism. The bill narrows the scope of PDAB's authority to conduct affordability reviews on pharmaceutical products that the board previously had power to examine.

Why is this important

Colorado's PDAB was created to address high prescription drug costs by reviewing prices and potentially negotiating or restricting coverage of unaffordable medications. Exempting drugs from this review reduces state leverage over pharmaceutical pricing, which directly affects what consumers and the state Medicaid program pay for medications. This could meaningfully impact healthcare costs for both individual patients and public budgets.

Potential points of contention

  • Pharmaceutical industry influence: The bill may reflect lobbying by drug manufacturers seeking to avoid price scrutiny, versus consumer advocates wanting stronger affordability tools
  • State regulatory authority: Disagreement over whether Colorado should actively regulate drug prices versus relying on federal oversight and market competition
  • Which drugs are exempted: The specific drugs excluded matter significantly—exempting breakthrough therapies differs substantially from exempting routine medications with established alternatives
  • PDAB effectiveness debate: Dispute over whether the board has actually reduced costs or created access barriers that warrant reducing its authority

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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