In 2017, Blue Shield of California led advocacy efforts to pass Senate Bill 17, a measure to provide transparency in drug pricing for our members and purchasers. SB 17 requires drug manufacturers to inform purchasers 60 days in advance of an excessive price increase and an explanation as to why the increase was made. Our hope and past experience told us that simple transparency was an important first step to influence pricing practices by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Read the Bloomberg report on the shift by major drug makers on this issue.