New Jersey legislation · 2026-2027 Regular Session
New Jersey A1502: Patient and Provider Protection Act-concerns
Status: Passed one chamber, October 5, 2026
Creates "Patient and Provider Protection Act."*
What the bill says
An Act concerning pharmacy benefits managers2[,] [ADDED: and] 2 amending 2 [ADDED: and supplementing] 2 various parts of the statutory law2[ and supplementing P.L.2015, c.179 (C.17B:27F-1 et seq.)]2. 1. (New section) The Legislature finds and declares: a. Pharmacy benefits managers administer prescription drug benefits for health insurers, employers, union health plans, and public programs, and exercise substantial authority over formulary design, rebate negotiations, pharmacy reimbursement, and patient access to medications within the State of New Jersey. b. Pharmacy benefits managers occupy.
From the amended text, October 5, 2026:
An Act concerning pharmacy benefits managers2[,] [ADDED: and] 2 amending 2 [ADDED: and supplementing] 2 various parts of the statutory law2[ and supplementing P.L.2015, c.179 (C.17B:27F-1 et seq.)]2. 1. (New section) The Legislature finds and declares: a. Pharmacy benefits managers administer prescription drug benefits for health insurers, employers, union health plans, and public programs, and exercise substantial authority over formulary design, rebate negotiations, pharmacy reimbursement, and patient access to medications within the State of New Jersey. b. Pharmacy benefits managers occupy a central position in the prescription drug supply chain, negotiating rebates and discounts with drug manufacturers, determining pharmacy network participation, and influencing the out-of-pocket costs borne by patients. c. The 2024 bipartisan report issued by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and 2[Accountability] [ADDED: Government Reform] 2 entitled 2 [ADDED: ] 2The Role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers in Prescription Drug Markets2 [ADDED: ] 2 found that the largest pharmacy benefits managers control a dominant share of prescription drug claims, are frequently vertically integrated with major insurers and affiliated pharmacies, and derive significant revenue from manufacturer-paid rebates and price concessions tied to formulary placement and list prices. d. The Federal Trade Commission, in its first interim report 2 [ADDED: ] 2Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The Powerful Middlemen Inflating Drug Costs and Squeezing Main Street Pharmacies,2 [ADDED: ] 2 released in 2024, …