Maine creates government drug program

The Maine legislature enacted Thursday night, and Governor Angus King signed, legislation that would require the state government to become a pharmaceutical benefits manager (PBM) for the state's estimated 325,000 residents who lack prescription drug coverage. The Maine Senate passed the Maine Prescription Drug Fair Pricing Act unanimously; the vote was 128-11 in the state's House of Representatives.

The law gives the state's PBM program three years to obtain discounts from drug manufacturers equivalent to the best obtained by bulk purchasers in Maine. If Maine is not able to negotiate equivalent discounts, the law requires that the state enforce maximum prices for pharmaceuticals established by a Fair Drug Pricing Board. ...