Prescription Drug Affordability Board Activity, February and March 2026
Activities Summary
Colorado: The PDAB did not meet in February or March. The next meeting was held April 3, 2026.
Maryland: At its February meeting, the PDAB introduced a new board member and approved UPL frameworks for Ozempic and Trulicity. In March, it heard a briefing on its 340B Drug Pricing Program study, advanced draft cost review reports for Farxiga and Jardiance, and introduced draft regulations for UPLs based on the Medicare Maximum Fair Price.
Minnesota: In February, Minnesota's PDAB heard expert presentations about Medicaid and the drug supply chain, received updates on the board's "master list" of drugs, and continued to develop a governance framework. The March meeting focused on establishing rigorous standards for future affordability reviews.
Oregon: In February, the PDAB reviewed policies and 2025 policy recommendations. In its March meeting, the PDAB approved a motion to finalize the 2025 Drug Review Report and chose medicines for 2026 affordability reviews.
Washington: The PDAB's March meeting focused on advancing the state's drug review processes and establishing foundations for future cost-control measures.
Activity by State
Maryland
Maryland PDAB Meetings
February 23, 2026 (Rescheduled from January 26, 2026)
Agenda | Minutes | Meeting Recording | Public comment
During the Maryland PDAB meeting in February, the board introduced new member Julia F. Slejko and confirmed the board is tracking several high-priority health bills. The board also approved UPL frameworks for Ozempic and Trulicity. Ozempic’s framework utilizes a National Domestic Reference Pricing model based on the 2027 Medicare MFP of $274 for a 30-day supply. Trulicity’s framework combines domestic reference pricing with therapeutic class comparisons to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Additional meeting materials:
- Policy Review Process- Staff Preliminary Recommendations- Presentation (Revised 1/16/26)
- Ozempic: Upper Payment Limit Framework- Version 2 (2/2/26)
- Ozempic: Upper Payment Limit Framework- Presentation (Updated 2/18/26)
- Trulicity: Upper Payment Limit Framework - Version 2 (2/2/6)
- Trulicity: Upper Payment Limit Framework- Presentation (Updated 2/18/26)
March 23, 2026
Agenda | Video | Written comment
At its March meeting, the Maryland PDAB heard a briefing on its 340B Drug Pricing Program study, which recently initiated a comprehensive data request to analyze state-specific fiscal impacts ahead of a July 1 report. Procedural enhancements were proposed to improve the depth and efficiency of the cost review and policy review processes, including the earlier integration of input from government agencies and the analysis of entire therapeutic classes.
Most significantly, the Board advanced draft cost review reports for Farxiga and Jardiance, sustaining preliminary determinations that both medications create affordability challenges and introducing draft regulations for Upper Payment Limits based on the Medicare Maximum Fair Price. These draft regulations, along with non-UPL policy recommendations such as inflation penalties and PBM compensation delinking, were opened for public comment to facilitate the scheduled 2027 implementation of payment limits for government health plans.
Additional meeting materials:
- 340B Study Report Update
- Updates to Cost Review Study Process and Policy Review Process
- Farxiga and Jardiance Cost Review Study Report Presentation
- Draft Farxiga Cost Review Study Report and Excel exhibits 3, 4, 5a, and 5b.
- Draft Jardiance Cost Review Study Report and Excel exhibits 3, 4, 5a and 5b.
- Draft regulations:
- Draft non-UPL policy proposals:
Minnesota
Minnesota PDAB Meetings
February 10, 2026
Minnesota’s PDAB meeting started with three presentations from industry experts about the state's Medicaid program and wholesalers' and pharmacy services administrative organizations' role in the drug delivery chain. The Executive Director updated the board on the data project's "master list" of drugs, which integrates statutory criteria, feedback from patient listening sessions, and CMS Medicare MFP data. The board partnered with the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy to provide technical support for these data efforts.
The board continued developing its "governance project," which defines operational policies across four quadrants. These quadrants cover end results, executive limitations, governance processes, and board-management delegation. The board expects to formally adopt the full governance package in June 2026.
March 10, 2026
Minnesota's PDAB focused its March meeting on establishing rigorous standards for future affordability reviews. The board evaluated Medical Alley’s proposed "Principles for Effective Affordability Review," which advocates for using holistic, real-world datasets rather than relying solely on list prices or aggregate spending metrics. The Board also reviewed PhRMA’s analysis of the complex pharmaceutical supply chain, specifically noting that over 50% of brand medicine spending is now retained by non-manufacturer entities like PBMs and insurers. Beyond these presentations, the Board advanced its operational framework by updating the ongoing Data and Governance Projects and reviewing the Executive Director’s report to ensure transparent, evidence-based decision-making moving forward.
Oregon
Oregon PDAB Meetings
February 18, 2026
Oregon's PDAB conducted its annual policy review, where small amendments to language and the trade secret information policy were unanimously voted in. They also discussed House Bill 4040, which would allow the board not choose an insulin product that creates an affordability challenge if there isn't an appropriate product. The board reviewed the 2025 policy recommendations, which will be voted on in March, and reviewed the dashboard and preliminary list for the 2026 drug reviews.
March 18, 2026
Agenda | Video | Meeting Minutes
During the March meeting, Oregon’s PDAB unanimously approved a motion to finalize the 2025 Drug Review Report, including policy recommendations for a patient out-of-pocket cap and a point-of-sale rebate pass-through model. For the upcoming 2026 affordability reviews, the board voted unanimously to prioritize a specific subset of drugs, including Ocrevus, Tremfya, Skyrizi, Xolair, Keytruda, Verzenio, Xeljanz, Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Ozempic, as well as the Humulin 500 products.
Washington
Washington PDAB Meeting
March 18, 2026
The March Prescription Drug Affordability Board meeting in Washington focused on advancing the state's drug review processes and establishing foundations for future cost-control measures. The Board received a comprehensive technical refresher on the methodology for the 2026 Eligible Drug List, including specific formulas for calculating course-of-treatment costs and price increase thresholds. A significant portion of the session was dedicated to an introductory presentation on Upper Payment Limit (UPL) methodologies, where staff recommended a flexible, broad-based approach similar to Maryland's model to tailor limits to specific drugs starting in 2027.