OAFP Testimony of HB 4113 – Cost-Sharing for Essential Medications
Testimony in support of HB 4113
February 5th, 2024
Dear Chair Nosse, Vice Chair Goodwin, Vice Chair Nelson and Members of the Committee:
I am writing on behalf of more than 1,700 Oregon family physicians and medical students in support of House Bill 4113, which will expand patient access to cost-sharing support through the removal of co-pay assistance limits. Our members know too many patients who experience difficulties affording the medicines they need to manage their illnesses.
It makes sense to try to manage chronic conditions with generic or low-cost medications wherever possible, but for many patients, those are not an option. Insurers have many tools to manage pharmaceutical costs, including prior authorization, cost tiering within the medicines they cover, and step therapy requirements.
This legislation leaves many of those tools in place; it is structured such that the co-pay assistance limits would be removed when there is no generic equivalent for the medication, or if there is a generic option, the drug must be approved through an insurer’s prior authorization process. In this way, we can be sure that patients with no other options will still be financially able to access medications.
There is much work yet to be done to address the high cost of medicines across the health system, and we look forward to engaging in that work. In the meantime, patients need continued access to relief such as that offered in HB 4113. The bill would help ensure that patients out-of-pocket expenses are manageable and build toward meeting their deductible, ensuring they have support in affording their medications throughout the plan year.