HB1442

House Bill 1442 seeks to regulate pharmacy contracting practices and protect patient freedom of choice regarding pharmacy services. It prohibits 'parent entities'—defined as hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), or FQHC Look-Alikes that own pharmacies—from using financial incentives to steer patients toward their own internal pharmacies. The bill mandates that these entities must allow other network pharmacies to participate in their prospective cash savings programs, such as those related to the 340B Drug Pricing Program, unless specific cost-recovery exemptions apply. Additionally, the bill establishes a formal right for patients to choose any pharmacy for their prescriptions and requires providers to document this choice. The Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy is empowered to investigate complaints, conduct hearings, and enforce these provisions. Repeated violations may be subject to the state's Unfair Practices Act.