Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has vetoed closely watched legislation to create an advisory panel to lower prescription drug costs, a setback to attempts by lawmakers across the United States to address the rising cost of medicines.
Unlike affordability boards in other states, the Virginia panel would have used Medicare as a benchmark. Rather than start from scratch to identify drugs considered expensive, each year the panel would have targeted the same drugs chosen by Medicare for price negotiations. The board would have also set upper payment limits to create a ceiling on what would be paid.
By doing so, Virginia would have leapfrogged plans by other states that are at varying stages of establishing affordability boards. Of the other nine states that have boards, none is eyeing all of the same drugs chosen annually by Medicare and only four have the authority to set upper payment limits.
