Legislative Update: 340B legislation makes progress at state Capitol 

Posted on: 2/23/24

This week, HB 3379 and SB 1628 passed out of their respective committees in the House and Senate. These measures are part of OHA’s 2024 legislative agenda. On Monday, the chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Health, Rep. Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan), heard his bill that would protect the 340B program in state law, HB 3379. The measure passed out of committee unanimously and is ready to be heard in the full Appropriations and Budget Committee. 

On Tuesday, Sen. Brent Howard (R-Altus) heard his 340B bill in Senate Retirement and Insurance. His measure tackles the issue of 340B with respect to pharmacy benefit managers and prohibits discriminatory behavior by a drug manufacturer with respect to the contractual relationship between a pharmacy and 340B entity. The bill passed out of committee and is now eligible to be heard on the floor of the Senate. 

On the Medicaid managed care front, another piece of OHA’s legislative agenda, SB 1675, ran in the Senate Health and Human Services committee. Authored by Floor Leader Greg McCortney (R-Ada), the bill makes several changes to the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Act, including extending the rate floor by one year from its original expiration date of July 1, 2026. The bill passed unanimously out of committee and now heads to the senate floor. 

Next week is the first legislative deadline of session, with bills needing to be passed out of their respective committees to continue in the process. (Scott Tohlen)