Illinois Compiled Statutes
215 ILCS 5/ - Illinois Insurance Code.
Article XXXIIB - Pharmacy Benefit Managers

(215 ILCS 5/Art. XXXIIB heading)

 
(215 ILCS 5/513b1)
Sec. 513b1. Pharmacy benefit manager contracts.
(a) As used in this Section:
"340B drug discount program" means the program established
under Section 340B of the federal Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 256b.
"340B entity" means a covered entity as defined in 42 U.S.C. 256b(a)(4) authorized to participate in the 340B drug discount program.
"340B pharmacy" means any pharmacy used to dispense 340B drugs for a covered entity, whether entity-owned or external.
"Biological product" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 19.5 of the Pharmacy Practice Act.
"Maximum allowable cost" means the maximum amount that a pharmacy benefit manager will reimburse a pharmacy for the cost of a drug.
"Maximum allowable cost list" means a list of drugs for which a maximum allowable cost has been established by a pharmacy benefit manager.
"Pharmacy benefit manager" means a person, business, or entity, including a wholly or partially owned or controlled subsidiary of a pharmacy benefit manager, that provides claims processing services or other prescription drug or device services, or both, for health benefit plans.
"Retail price" means the price an individual without prescription drug coverage would pay at a retail pharmacy, not including a pharmacist dispensing fee.
"Third-party payer" means any entity that pays for prescription drugs on behalf of a patient other than a health care provider or sponsor of a plan subject to regulation under Medicare Part D, 42 U.S.C. 1395w-101, et seq.
(b) A contract between a health insurer and a pharmacy benefit manager must require that the pharmacy benefit manager:
(c) In order to place a particular prescription drug on a maximum allowable cost list, the pharmacy benefit manager must, at a minimum, ensure that:
(d) A pharmacy benefit manager is prohibited from limiting a pharmacist's ability to disclose whether the cost-sharing obligation exceeds the retail price for a covered prescription drug, and the availability of a more affordable alternative drug, if one is available in accordance with Section 42 of the Pharmacy Practice Act.
(e) A health insurer or pharmacy benefit manager shall not require an insured to make a payment for a prescription drug at the point of sale in an amount that exceeds the lesser of:
(f) Unless required by law, a contract between a pharmacy benefit manager or third-party payer and a 340B entity or 340B pharmacy shall not contain any provision that:
As used in this subsection, "pharmacy benefit manager" and "third-party payer" do not include pharmacy benefit managers and third-party payers acting on behalf of a Medicaid program.
(g) A violation of this Section by a pharmacy benefit manager constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance under Section 424.
(h) A provision that violates subsection (f) in a contract between a pharmacy benefit manager or a third-party payer and a 340B entity that is entered into, amended, or renewed after July 1, 2022 shall be void and unenforceable.
(i) This Section applies to contracts entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2022.
(j) This Section applies to any group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that provides coverage for prescription drugs and that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after July 1, 2020.

(Source: P.A. 101-452, eff. 1-1-20; 102-778, eff. 7-1-22.)
 
(215 ILCS 5/513b2)
Sec. 513b2. Licensure requirements.
(a) Beginning on July 1, 2020, to conduct business in this State, a pharmacy benefit manager must register with the Director. To initially register or renew a registration, a pharmacy benefit manager shall submit:
(b) The registrant shall report any change in information required under this Section to the Director in writing within 60 days after the change occurs.
(c) Upon receipt of a completed registration form, the required documents, and the registration fee, the Director shall issue a registration certificate. The certificate may be in paper or electronic form, and shall clearly indicate the expiration date of the registration. Registration certificates are nontransferable.
(d) A registration certificate is valid for 2 years after its date of issue. The Director shall adopt by rule an initial registration fee not to exceed $500 and a registration renewal fee not to exceed $500, both of which shall be nonrefundable. Total fees may not exceed the cost of administering this Section.
(e) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 101-452, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
(215 ILCS 5/513b3)
Sec. 513b3. Examination.
(a) The Director, or his or her designee, may examine a registered pharmacy benefit manager.
(b) Any pharmacy benefit manager being examined shall provide to the Director, or his or her designee, convenient and free access to all books, records, documents, and other papers relating to such pharmacy benefit manager's business affairs at all reasonable hours at its offices.
(c) The Director, or his or her designee, may administer oaths and thereafter examine the pharmacy benefit manager's designee, representative, or any officer or senior manager as listed on the license or registration certificate about the business of the pharmacy benefit manager.
(d) The examiners designated by the Director under this Section may make reports to the Director. Any report alleging substantive violations of this Article, any applicable provisions of this Code, or any applicable Part of Title 50 of the Illinois Administrative Code shall be in writing and be based upon facts obtained by the examiners. The report shall be verified by the examiners.
(e) If a report is made, the Director shall either deliver a duplicate report to the pharmacy benefit manager being examined or send such duplicate by certified or registered mail to the pharmacy benefit manager's address specified in the records of the Department. The Director shall afford the pharmacy benefit manager an opportunity to request a hearing to object to the report. The pharmacy benefit manager may request a hearing within 30 days after receipt of the duplicate report by giving the Director written notice of such request together with written objections to the report. Any hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Sections 402 and 403 of this Code. The right to a hearing is waived if the delivery of the report is refused or the report is otherwise undeliverable or the pharmacy benefit manager does not timely request a hearing. After the hearing or upon expiration of the time period during which a pharmacy benefit manager may request a hearing, if the examination reveals that the pharmacy benefit manager is operating in violation of any applicable provision of this Code, any applicable Part of Title 50 of the Illinois Administrative Code, a provision of this Article, or prior order, the Director, in the written order, may require the pharmacy benefit manager to take any action the Director considers necessary or appropriate in accordance with the report or examination hearing. If the Director issues an order, it shall be issued within 90 days after the report is filed, or if there is a hearing, within 90 days after the conclusion of the hearing. The order is subject to review under the Administrative Review Law.

(Source: P.A. 101-452, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
(215 ILCS 5/513b4)
Sec. 513b4. Denial, revocation, or suspension of registration; administrative fines.
(a) Denial of an application or suspension or revocation of a registration in accordance with this Section shall be by written order sent to the applicant or registrant by certified or registered mail at the address specified in the records of the Department. The written order shall state the grounds, charges, or conduct on which denial, suspension, or revocation is based. The applicant or registrant may in writing request a hearing within 30 days from the date of mailing. Upon receipt of a written request, the Director shall issue an order setting: (i) a specific time for the hearing, which may not be less than 20 nor more than 30 days after receipt of the request; and (ii) a specific place for the hearing, which may be in either the city of Springfield or in the county in Illinois where the applicant's or registrant's principal place of business is located. If no written request is received by the Director, such order shall be final upon the expiration of said 30 days.
(b) If the Director finds that one or more grounds exist for the revocation or suspension of a registration issued under this Article, the Director may, in lieu of or in addition to such suspension or revocation, impose a fine upon the pharmacy benefit manager as provided under subsection (c).
(c) With respect to any knowing and willful violation of a lawful order of the Director, any applicable portion of this Code, Part of Title 50 of the Illinois Administrative Code, or provision of this Article, the Director may impose a fine upon the pharmacy benefit manager in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for each violation.

(Source: P.A. 101-452, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
(215 ILCS 5/513b5)
Sec. 513b5. Failure to register. Any pharmacy benefit manager that operates without a registration or fails to register with the Director and pay the fee prescribed by this Article is an unauthorized insurer as defined in Article VII of this Code and shall be subject to all penalties provided for therein.

(Source: P.A. 101-452, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
(215 ILCS 5/513b6)
Sec. 513b6. Insurance Producer Administration Fund. All fees and fines paid to and collected by the Director under this Article shall be paid promptly after receipt thereof, together with a detailed statement of such fees, into the Insurance Producer Administration Fund. The moneys deposited into the Insurance Producer Administration Fund may be transferred to the Professions Indirect Cost Fund, as authorized under Section 2105-300 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 101-452, eff. 1-1-20.)

Structure Illinois Compiled Statutes