NASHP Announces Pharmacy Costs Work Group

The newly launched National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) Pharmacy Cost Work Group will look beyond the strategies currently used in states to identify and develop new ideas which address the growing problem of Rx costs. The group will look broadly at states as purchasers, regulators, policymakers, and investors to develop the next generation of state–based reforms to address the rapid growth of prescription prices.
The rising cost of drugs goes beyond just Medicaid, challenging also vaccine programs, state psychiatric providers, corrections, state employee and retiree health programs, and public university employee and teachers’ health plans. These costs all directly or potentially impact state budgets. The effect of prescription drug costs on commercial insurers carries implications for rate reviews carried out by insurance regulators, and for the integrity of the insurance markets in our states.
The group will take into account the next steps– individually and collectively – that states might take to re-double efforts to reduce prescription drug spending and assure access to important life saving and life sustaining pharmaceuticals while also balancing cost concerns.
Members include:

• Susan Barrett, J.D., Executive Director, Green Mountain Care Board
• Burl Beasley, D.Ph., MPH, MS Pharm Clinical Pharmacist, Oklahoma Health Care Authority
• Robert Crittenden, M.D., Senior Policy Advisor to Governor, Washington
• James DeBenedetti Director, Plan Management Division, Covered California
• Rebekah Gee, Secretary, Dept. of Health and Hospitals, State of Louisiana
• Richard Gottfried, Chair, Committee on Health, New York Assembly
• Emily Hancock, RPH, Phar. D., MPA Clinical Pharmacist, Indiana Dept. of Social and Family Services
• Nathan Johnson, Chief Policy Officer, Washington State Health Care Authority
• Wendy Kelley, Director, Arkansas Dept. of Corrections
• Heather Korbulic, Executive Director, Silver State Health Insurance Exchange
• Kevin Lembo, Comptroller, State of Connecticut
• Janet Mills, J.D., Attorney General, State of Maine
• John McCarthy, Medicaid Director, State of Ohio
• Rebecca Pasternik-Ikard, Chief Executive Officer, Oklahoma Health Care Authority
• David Seltz, Executive Director, Massachusetts Health Care Commission
• Norman Thurston, Ph.D., Utah State Legislature
• Eileen Mallow, Deputy Director, WI Dept. of Employee Trust Funds