Vote No on HB 2180

I am writing to express my concern about the proposed legislation, HB 2180, which seeks to promote and enforce the practice of “point of sale rebates” at pharmacies. I urge you to reconsider this bill, as it is not in the best interest of Texans.

The bill would offer rebates to a small percentage of Texans, about 3 to 5 percent, who purchase expensive brand-name drugs at their pharmacy. However, this rebate would be subsidized by the remaining 95 percent of insured Texans, resulting in a rise in their insurance premiums. This is unfair and counterproductive.

Moreover, the implementation of HB 2180 will incur major costs to the state government. For instance, the point of sale mandate is expected to cost $77 million in the next two years just due to rising premiums for active and retired teachers. Private businesses that offer healthcare coverage to their employees will also incur higher expenses. This is an unnecessary and avoidable expense, especially during these tough times when we should be looking for ways to cut costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers.

While supporters of HB 2180 claim that it aims to lower healthcare costs, the point-of-sale rebates do not achieve that objective. Instead, any rebates should be used to lower health insurance premiums for all Texans, making healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone.

I hope you will consider my concerns and take them into account when deciding on the fate of HB 2180. Thank you for your attention to this matter.