HB640 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

William “Bill” M. BeasleySenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Tommy ShererRon JohnsonElaine Beech

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Health benefit plans and prescription drugs, same copayment, coinsurance, deductible, and quantity limits within same employer group, drug changes

Summary

HB640 would require health benefit plans to apply the same cost-sharing and quantity limits across all prescriptions within the same employer or plan group, and to prohibit forced drug changes.

What This Bill Does

It would require the same coinsurance, copayment, deductible, and quantity limit factors to apply to all drug prescriptions filled by network pharmacies for enrollees within the same employer or plan group. It would prohibit setting quantity limits that are not applied uniformly across the network and would prevent plans from mandating a drug change without the agreement of the provider and enrollee. It allows different cost-sharing for generic versus brand-name drugs and would apply to plans operating in Alabama, including some out-of-state plans that process Alabama claims.

Who It Affects

• Enrollees/patients enrolled in health benefit plans – they would see consistent cost-sharing and quantity limits across their prescriptions and could not be forced to switch drugs without agreement.
• Health benefit plans and their network pharmacies – they must apply uniform cost-sharing and quantity limits across the plan and network, and cannot mandate drug changes without consent.

Key Provisions

• Apply the same coinsurance, copayment, deductible, and quantity limit factors within the same employer group and other plan-sponsored groups to all drug prescriptions filled by network pharmacies (retail or mail-order).
• Prohibit quantity limits that are not uniformly applied to all network pharmacy providers.
• Prohibit a health benefit plan from mandating a change in an enrollee's prescription unless the provider and enrollee agree.
• Allow different cost-sharing amounts between generic and brand-name drugs, but otherwise require uniform factors within groups.
• Subject out-of-state health plans that process Alabama claims to this act, with an effective date of October 1, 2010.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Insurance