Health insurance; pharmacies, freedom of choice, delivery of prescription drugs, penalties.

In all three sections, the definition of eligible dispensing locations was expanded from 'any physician practice that dispenses or administers drugs' to 'any physician practice, hospital outpatient infusion center, or other clinical setting that dispenses or administers drugs, medicines, or medicinal chemicals.' This broadens where patients can direct their prescription drug benefits.

The original version designated violations as unfair trade practices under Chapter 5 (38.2-500 et seq.), subject to injunctive and penalty provisions of Chapter 2 (38.2-200 et seq.), and required the Commission to establish a complaint procedure by October 1, 2026 with resolution within six months. The substitute removes all of this enforcement machinery and replaces it with a simple statement that the Commission has no jurisdiction over controversies arising from the section.

A new subsection was added to each of the three sections prohibiting insurers, corporations, HMOs, or their pharmacy benefits managers from penalizing, terminating, or otherwise retaliating against a pharmacy or dispensing practitioner for exercising rights or providing services consistent with the section.