Virginia Makes Plans Count Copay Coupons Toward Cost Sharing

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed Monday (March 25) the first state law to require that insurers count drug maker copay coupons toward deductibles and catastrophic coverage. The law runs counter to the Trump administration proposal to let exchange plans exclude drug maker copay assistance from out-of-pocket maximums when generic equivalents are available. As list prices rise, drug companies shield consumers from rising cost sharing with copay coupons. Insurers say the coupons encourage patients to use expensive brands over generics,...