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HB 25-1222

Preserving Access to Rural Independent Pharmacies

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Amabile and 70 co-sponsors

Preserves access to rural independent pharmacies by improving reimbursement predictability, transparency, and support programs to keep local pharmacies open.

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1222

Summary — HB 25‑1222: Preserving Access to Rural Independent Pharmacies

Status and timeline
- Introduced: February 11, 2025 (House, assigned to Health & Human Services)
- Passed both chambers: March–April 2025 (House and Senate readings and committee action)
- Sent to Governor: May 20, 2025
- Governor signed into law: May 27, 2025

Sponsors
- Multi‑member, bipartisan sponsorship. Primary sponsors include Ty Winter, Dylan Roberts, Cleave Simpson, and Meghan Lukens, with many additional cosponsors from both parties.

Purpose / intent
- The bill’s title — “Preserving Access to Rural Independent Pharmacies” — indicates the intent to help maintain or improve access to pharmacy services in rural communities by addressing the particular operational and financial challenges faced by independent rural pharmacies.

What the bill likely addresses (summary based on title and typical policy approaches)
Note: The full enacted text is not provided here. The list below describes common types of provisions that similarly titled bills include; consult the final bill text for exact measures and legal language.

  • Reimbursement and payment protections

    • Limits on retroactive reimbursement clawbacks or reductions by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) or insurers.
    • Minimum reimbursement rates or methodologies to improve predictability for independent pharmacies.

  • Contracting and transparency requirements

    • Transparency and disclosure obligations for PBMs and third‑party payers (e.g., reporting of fees, spreads, DIR fees).
    • Restrictions on contract provisions that disadvantage small or rural pharmacies (e.g., sudden terminations, punitive audit practices).

  • Network adequacy and participation

    • Measures to ensure rural pharmacies remain in insurer/PBM networks or to require networks to meet rural access standards.

  • Support programs for rural pharmacies

    • Grants, technical assistance, or loan/relief programs to help rural pharmacies remain open or invest in technology (telepharmacy, electronic prescribing).
    • Workforce incentives or training supports to maintain pharmacy staffing in rural areas.

  • Regulatory/operational flexibilities

    • Telepharmacy expansion, streamlined licensing, or emergency‑dispensing flexibilities that enable remote coverage.

Who would be affected
- Primary: independent community and rural pharmacies and their owners/operators.
- Secondary: rural patients and communities who rely on local pharmacies for medications and clinical services.
- Other affected parties: PBMs, health insurers, managed care organizations, state health and insurance regulators, and Medicaid/Medicare programs to the extent state law interacts with federal programs.

Potential impacts
- Improved financial stability and predictability for rural independent pharmacies, which could reduce closures and preserve local access to medications and pharmacy care.
- Increased regulatory and reporting obligations for PBMs and payers.
- Potential cost implications for payers if minimum reimbursements or reduced fee practices increase pharmacy payments.

Next steps / where to read the law
- Because the session bill text is not included here, review the enacted full text on the Colorado General Assembly website or the Governor’s bill signing materials to see specific provisions, effective date, and any appropriation or rulemaking directives.

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

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