Virginia Governor Vetoes Bill Creating Drug Cost Advisory Panel

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed legislation to create an advisory panel aimed at lowering prescription drug costs. The panel would have used Medicare as a benchmark rather than starting from scratch to identify expensive drugs. Each year it would have targeted the same drugs chosen by Medicare for price negotiations.

The board would have also set upper payment limits to create a ceiling on what would be paid. By doing so, Virginia would have leapfrogged plans by other states that are at varying stages of establishing affordability boards. Of the other nine states that have boards, none is eyeing all of the same drugs chosen annually by Medicare and only four have the authority to set upper payment limits.