Commentary: Las Cruces, NM – Senator Jeff Steinborn will be in Portland Oregon Monday to address state health officials from around the country at the annual conference of the National Academy for State Health Policy (www.nashp.org). The Academy, a non-profit and non-partisan organization of state health professionals, asked Steinborn to speak at the conference to discuss his legislation to consolidate purchasing of prescription drugs by New Mexico’s state government.
Steinborn’s bill, Senate Bill 354 proposed to create an “Interagency Pharmaceutical Benefits Purchasing Council” to require that all New Mexico state agencies and state benefit providers who purchase prescription drugs to work together to negotiate the price of prescription drugs. In fiscal year 2016 New Mexico state government spent over $670 million on prescription drugs, a staggering 54% increase in two years. Steinborn’s bill would have leveraged taxpayer-funded health agencies including the Departments of Health, Human Services, Corrections, Medicaid, retired State government workers’ benefits, UNM, and other agencies to negotiate lower drug prices. Senate Bill 354 passed the legislature with broad bi-partisan support but was pocket vetoed by Governor Martinez.
“I’m honored to have received this invitation to share this legislation and lessons learned with other policy makers and health officials from around the country. Given the astronomical and rising costs our state pays for prescription drugs, it’s absolutely critical that we maximize our purchasing power to get the very best deal we can for taxpayers,” said Senator Jeff Steinborn.
In addition to speaking at the conference Steinborn will be attending sessions to learn about innovative state health solutions.
Senate Bill 354 can be read here: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=S&legType=B&legNo=354&year=17