Louisiana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Louisiana SR209: PHARMACISTS: Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study the impacts of a prohibition on PBM ownership of pharmacies.
Status: Passed both chambers, June 12, 2025
What the bill says
A resolution To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study the impacts of prohibiting pharmacy benefit manager ownership of pharmacies in Louisiana and to submit a report to the legislature.
From the introduced text:
A RESOLUTION To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study the impacts of prohibiting pharmacy benefit manager ownership of pharmacies in Louisiana and to submit a report to the legislature. WHEREAS, vertical integration occurs when a single company controls multiple layers of the healthcare process, such as health insurance, pharmacy benefit management services, and pharmacy operations; and WHEREAS, an example of vertical integration is where a company might manage a health plan, decide which medications are covered, and own the pharmacy where patients are required to fill prescriptions; and WHEREAS, vertical integration raises serious concerns about competition, fairness, and rising healthcare costs; and WHEREAS, by controlling every step of the process, vertically integrated companies hold immense power over a patients' healthcare, from the cost of premiums to access to pharmacy services; and WHEREAS, three major corporations dominate the vertically integrated pharmacy benefit manager market, collectively managing pharmacy benefits for over 75% of Americans; CVS Health controls Aetna (insurance), Caremark (PBM), and CVS pharmacies; Page 1 of SLS 25RS-3228 ORIGINAL SR NO. OptumRx is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, which is the largest health insurer in the United States; and Express Scripts is operated by Cigna and manages prescription benefits alongside its insurance and health care services; and WHEREAS, this consolidation squeezes out competition, making it difficult for …
Sponsors
- McMahen, Wayne (R, 10) · primary sponsor
- Abraham, Mark (R, 25)
- Allain, Robert (R, 21)
- Barrow, Regina (D, 15)
- Tarver, Phillip (R, 36)
- Schamerhorn, Rodney (R, 24)
- Bouie, Joseph (D)
- Bagley, Larry (R, 7)
- Cathey Jr., Stewart (R, 33)
- Deshotel, Daryl (R, 28)
- Crews, Raymond (R, 8)
- Bamburg Jr., Dennis (R, 5)
Latest actions
- : Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time by title and adopted.
- : By a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays.
- : Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate and sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate on 6/13/2025.
Votes
- Senate Vote on SR 209, CO-AUTHORS (#1010) (June 12, 2025): 33 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Vote on SR 209, ADOPT (#1009) (June 12, 2025): 38 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is SR209?
- SR209 is a bill in the Louisiana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): PHARMACISTS: Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study the impacts of a prohibition on PBM ownership of pharmacies.
- What does SR209 do?
- In its own words: A resolution To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study the impacts of prohibiting pharmacy benefit manager ownership of pharmacies in Louisiana and to submit a report to the legislature.
- What is the status of SR209?
- Passed both chambers as of June 12, 2025. Latest action: Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time by title and adopted. (June 12, 2025).
- Who sponsored SR209?
- McMahen, Wayne (R, 10), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SR209?
- On the Louisiana Legislature website: https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=25RS&b=SR209
Source: official Louisiana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.