California Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) pulled his bill on drug pricing transparency from the state legislature Wednesday, claiming the assembly's amendments nullified the legislation's intent, reports Los Angeles Times.
The original bill would have required health plans to report detailed information on drug costs to state regulators, such as the most prescribed and most costly medicines. It also would have forced drug makers to give notice of future price increases to companies, pharmacy managers and state agencies that buy prescription drugs, according to California Healthline.
The assembly's appropriations committee amended the bill by raising the reporting threshold for drug price increases by more than 25 percent to $10,000. It also removed the requirement drugmakers justify their price increases to state regulators.
Sen. Hernandez told California Healthline he plans to continue working with health advocates, labor, education, business groups and community organizations to bring drug pricing reform.
At least 70 California lobbyist groups spent money to support or oppose the legislation, making it one of the most lobbied bills of the session, according to lobbying activity filings obtained by Los Angeles Times.