WV Code § 33-51-9 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 33. Insurance|Article 51. Pharmacy Audit Integrity Act|§33-51-9. Regulation of Pharmacy Benefit Managers

(a) A pharmacy, a pharmacist, and a pharmacy technician shall have the right to provide a covered individual with information related to lower cost alternatives and cost share for the covered individual to assist health care consumers in making informed decisions. Neither a pharmacy, a pharmacist, nor a pharmacy technician may be penalized by a pharmacy benefit manager for discussing information in this section or for selling a lower cost alternative to a covered individual, if one is available, without using a health insurance policy. (b) A pharmacy benefit manager may not collect from a pharmacy, a pharmacist, or a pharmacy technician a cost share charged to a covered individual that exceeds the total submitted charges by the pharmacy or pharmacist to the pharmacy benefit manager.(c) A pharmacy benefit manager may only directly or indirectly charge or hold a pharmacy, a pharmacist, or a pharmacy technician responsible for a fee related to the adjudication of a claim if:(1) The total amount of the fee is identified, reported, and specifically explained for each line item on the remittance advice of the adjudicated claim; or(2) The total amount of the fee is apparent at the point of sale and not adjusted between the point of sale and the issuance of the remittance advice.(d) A pharmacy benefit manager, or any other third party, that reimburses a 340B entity for drugs that are subject to an agreement under 42 U.S.C. 256b shall not reimburse the 340B entity for pharmacy-dispensed drugs at a rate lower than that paid for the same drug to pharmacies similar in prescription volume that are not 340B entities, and shall not assess any fee, charge-back, or other adjustment upon the 340B entity on the basis that the 340B entity participates in the program set forth in 42 U.S.C. 256b.(e) With respect to a patient eligible to receive drugs subject to an agreement under 42 U.S.C. 256b, a pharmacy benefit manager, or any other third party that makes payment for such drugs, shall not discriminate against a 340B entity in a manner that prevents or interferes with the patients choice to receive such drugs from the 340B entity: Provided, That for purposes of this section, "third party" does not include the state Medicaid program when Medicaid is providing reimbursement for covered outpatient drugs, as that term is defined in 42 U.S.C. 1396r-8(k), on a fee-for-service basis: Provided, however, That "third party" does include a Medicaid-managed care organization as described in 42 U.S.C. 1396b(m).(f) A pharmacy benefit manager may not reimburse a pharmacy or pharmacist for a prescription drug or pharmacy service in an amount less than the national average drug acquisition cost for the prescription drug or pharmacy service at the time the drug is administered or dispensed, plus a professional dispensing fee of $10.49: Provided, That if the national average drug acquisition cost is not available at the time a drug is administered or dispensed, a pharmacy benefit manager may not reimburse in an amount that is less than the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug, as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1395w-3a(c)(6)(B), plus a professional dispensing fee of $10.49. (g) A pharmacy benefit manager may not reimburse a pharmacy or pharmacist for a prescription drug or pharmacy service in an amount less than the amount the pharmacy benefit manager reimburses itself or an affiliate for the same prescription drug or pharmacy service.(h) The commissioner may order reimbursement to an insured, pharmacy, or dispenser who has incurred a monetary loss as a result of a violation of this article or legislative rules implemented pursuant to this article. (i) (1) Any methodologies utilized by a pharmacy benefits manager in connection with reimbursement shall be filed with the commissioner at the time of initial licensure and at any time thereafter that the methodology is changed by the pharmacy benefit manager for use in determining maximum allowable cost appeals. The methodologies are not subject to disclosure and shall be treated as confidential and exempt from disclosure under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act 29B-1-4(a)(1) of this code.(2) A pharmacy benefits manager shall utilize the national average drug acquisition cost as a point of reference for the ingredient drug product component of a pharmacys reimbursement for drugs appearing on the national average drug acquisition cost list; and,(j) A pharmacy benefits manager may not: (1) Discriminate in reimbursement, assess any fees or adjustments, or exclude a pharmacy from the pharmacy benefit managers network on the basis that the pharmacy dispenses drugs subject to an agreement under 42 U.S.C. 256b; or (2) Engage in any practice that: (A) In any way bases pharmacy reimbursement for a drug on patient outcomes, scores, or metrics. This does not prohibit pharmacy reimbursement for pharmacy care, including dispensing fees from being based on patient outcomes, scores, or metrics so long as the patient outcomes, scores, or metrics are disclosed to and agreed to by the pharmacy in advance; (B) Includes imposing a point-of-sale fee or retroactive fee; or (C) Derives any revenue from a pharmacy or insured in connection with performing pharmacy benefits management services: Provided, That this may not be construed to prohibit pharmacy benefits managers from receiving deductibles or copayments. (k) A pharmacy benefits manager shall offer a health plan the option of charging such health plan the same price for a prescription drug as it pays a pharmacy for the prescription drug: Provided, That a pharmacy benefits manager shall charge a health benefit plan administered by or on behalf of the state or a political subdivision of the state, the same price for a prescription drug as it pays a pharmacy for the prescription drug. (l) A covered individuals defined cost sharing for each prescription drug shall be calculated at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 100% of all rebates received, or to be received, in connection with the dispensing or administration of the prescription drug. Any rebate over and above the defined cost sharing would then be passed on to the health plan to reduce premiums. Nothing precludes an insurer from decreasing a covered individuals defined cost sharing by an amount greater than what is previously stated. The Commissioner may propose a legislative rule or by policy effectuate the provisions of this subsection. Notwithstanding any other effective date to the contrary, the amendments to this article enacted during the 2021 regular legislative session shall apply to all policies, contracts, plans, or agreements subject to this section that are delivered, executed, amended, adjusted, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022. (m) This section is effective for policy, contract, plans, or agreements beginning on or after January 1, 2022. This section applies to all policies, contracts, plans, or agreements subject to this section that are delivered, executed, amended, adjusted, or renewed on or after the effective date of this section.