Pennsylvania drug formulary fails to pass House

A bill that would have created a drug formulary for injured workers in Pennsylvania failed to pass the House on Tuesday, ending in a split 98-98 vote.

The Pennsylvania Senate passed S.B. 936 in October with a 34-16 vote. To pass the House, a bill needs 101 votes. 

The bill called for the state to create a “nationally recognized, evidence-based prescription drug formulary appropriate for resolving issues related to drugs prescribed for or related to the treatment of work-related injuries, including, but not limited to, the type, dosage and duration of prescriptions,” according to the bill’s latest text. 

Much of the voting in Pennsylvania was along party lines, with Democrats voting against the formulary arguing it would limit health care options for injured workers. Republicans argued the formulary would have helped quell the opioid crisis.