Nominating a person to be elected as the Auditor of Public Accounts.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Aaron Rouse

LDH to study the effects of prohibiting PBMs from owning pharmacies in Louisiana, examining impact on access, competition, pricing, and state payer contracts.

Bill text as passed Senate (SR209ER)

Summary — SR 209 (2025)

Title: PHARMACISTS: Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study the impacts of a prohibition on PBM ownership of pharmacies
Bill type: Senate Resolution
Introduced: March 3, 2025
Status: Read and adopted by the Senate (rules suspended; read second time by title and adopted). Reported enrolled and transmitted; enrolled June 12, 2025 (vote: 38 yeas, 0 nays).
Sponsors: Large bipartisan group of senators (primary and co‑sponsors listed in legislative file).

Purpose / intent

SR 209 directs the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to study the potential impacts of enacting a prohibition that would prevent pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning or operating retail or other pharmacies in Louisiana. The resolution seeks factual information to inform future legislative or regulatory decisions about PBM vertical ownership and its effects on the pharmacy marketplace.

Key provisions

Requests (directs) LDH to conduct a study of the impacts that a statutory prohibition on PBM ownership of pharmacies would have in Louisiana.

The resolution is a study/request measure rather than a binding statutory prohibition; it asks an executive agency to examine and report on consequences.

The legislative text available in the provided materials does not include the detailed scope or a deadline for LDH’s report. (If a report date or specific study elements were included in the resolution text, they were not contained in the document provided.)

Topics likely to be examined (based on the resolution subject)

Although the final report requirements are not listed in the provided text, studies of this type typically examine:
- Prevalence of PBM ownership stakes in pharmacies in the state and degree of vertical integration.
- Effects on competition, independent and community pharmacy viability, and pharmacy closures (particularly in rural areas).
- Impacts on patient access to pharmacy services, choice of pharmacy, and continuity of care.
- Effects on drug pricing, reimbursement rates, dispensing practices, and cost‑sharing for patients.
- Implications for Medicaid, state employee plans, and commercial insurers contracting with PBMs.
- Legal, regulatory, and administrative considerations for implementing a prohibition.

Who is affected

PBMs and their corporate owners (if any operate or own pharmacies).

Community, independent, chain, and specialty pharmacies in Louisiana.

Pharmacists, pharmacy employees, and pharmacy patients (including Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries).

Payers and insurers that contract with PBMs.

State Medicaid and other LDH‑administered programs.

Procedural / timeline notes

SR 209 is a non‑binding legislative resolution requesting an agency study; it does not itself change state law.

The resolution was adopted by the Senate and enrolled (vote recorded 38–0). Implementation details (e.g., statutory deadlines or mandated report recipients) were not provided in the available document. For the exact study scope, deadline, and required deliverables, consult the final enrolled resolution text available from the Secretary of the Senate or LDH.

If you want, I can:
- Retrieve the enrolled/resolution text to confirm specific study requirements and deadlines; or
- Draft a suggested outline of topics and data LDH should include in the study.