Louisiana Takes First Step in Drug Formulary, as Other States Mull Same Changes

While Nebraska lawmakers decided not to pursue adoption of a drug formulary this year, Louisiana took its first step in that direction Monday with the introduction of a bill that would mandate drug formularies, a list of drugs that do not require preauthorization, a move proponents say will cut pharmacy costs significantly. Louisiana has wrestled with the idea of having a list of covered medications, called a closed formulary, for workers' compensation for years as a way to reduce prescription drug costs, a significant driver in health care expenses. Last year, a similar bill surfac...