Not So Different: Minnesota Legislator Discusses Bill to Broaden Biosimilar Coverage

Recently, legislators in Minnesota introduced a bill that could force health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to provide equal coverage for biosimilars and reference products, removing the ability for plans to prefer higher-cost originators or limited numbers of biosimilars. The bipartisan bill was designed by Representative Jennifer Schultz (D, Duluth) and Senator Carla Nelson (R, Rochester) and was drafted in consultation with research scientists at Essentia Health and the Mayo Clinic.

We spoke with Schultz, who has a PhD in health economics, to discuss why a bill like this is needed in Minnesota and how it can help foster competition in the biologics market.

To learn more about the bill, click here.

To read the bill’s official text, click here.

To learn more about payer formulary preferences, click here.