Kaiser Permanente, Health Net, Cigna and Regence BlueCross BlueShield had been among the insurers to charge fees, though Regence said the charges had been a mistake and now supports the bill.
A divided Senate Thursday found an election-year issue it can get behind -- free colonoscopies, even if a physician has to remove polyps during the screening.
Sen. Alan Bates has pushed a bill that will help eliminate unnecessary trips to the drug store by allowing pharmacists to develop prescription drug plans with patients when chronic medications are refilled on the same date each month. The coordination of drug refills should save money and lives by making it easier for patients to adhere to their medication regimens.
The House Health Committee passed a bill Wednesday that will help consumers with multiple medications cut down on their trips to the drug store and allow them to get all of their long-term medications filled at the same time each month.
