SB 539

This bill requires the commissioner of insurance, in consultation with persons

interested in the sale and pricing of prescription drugs and federal officials and

agencies, to design and implement a prescription drug importation program for the

benefit of and that generates savings for Wisconsin residents. The bill establishes

requirements for the program, including all of the following: the commissioner must

designate a state agency to become or contract with a licensed wholesale distributor

and seek federal certification and approval to import prescription drugs; the

importation program must comply with certain federal regulations and import from

Canadian suppliers only prescription drugs that are not brand-name drugs, have

fewer than four competitor drugs in this country, and for which importation creates

substantial savings; the commissioner must ensure that prescription drugs

imported under the program are not distributed, dispensed, or sold outside of

Wisconsin; and the importation program must have an audit procedure to ensure the

program complies with certain requirements specified in the bill. Before submitting

the proposed implementation program to the federal government for certification,

the commissioner must submit the proposed importation program to JCF for its

approval.