Drug Transparency Bill Passes Washington Senate

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – The Washington Senate has approved a proposal to increase drug price transparency in Washington state.

The measure passed the chamber on a unanimous vote and now heads to the House for consideration.

The proposal wouldn’t immediately give consumers more information in stores, but would require drugmakers to give price information to state officials as a condition of selling in the state.

Along with price information, the bill would require details on the size of the cut taken by middlemen including insurance companies, and about which drugs contribute most to insurance premiums.

State officials would also compile a list of those drugs that had the most dramatic price increases each year.