House to hear healthcare, prescription drug price bills

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Multiple bills concerning healthcare and prescription drug prices will be heard by the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Thursday, the committee will vote on a bill allowing the sharing of medical research data.

The research would be anonymous and aims to assist medical research, including cancer research.

This proposal is already legal under federal law, and in most other states.

The committee will discus a bill that would prohibit health benefit plans from reviewing a patient’s prescriptions for opioid addiction treatment.

The committee will also discuss a bill allowing for the importation of wholesale drugs from Canada to Rhode Island to lower costs for residents.

The committee will also discuss a bill that would cap prices on insulin and asthma inhalers.

The proposal would allow an insured person to pay just $25 for a 30day supply.

That would include inhalers, glucose monitoring and insulin administration equipment.