Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Learn about the Prescription Drug Affordability Board’s (PDAB) mission, members, and upcoming meetings.
Prescription Drug Affordability Board Advisory Group application
The Washington State Prescription Drug Affordability Board (Board) is seeking unpaid volunteer members for its Advisory Group. The Advisory Group serves at the direction of the Board. The goal of the Advisory Group is to provide guidance to the Board on the different components of drug affordability in Washington. The Advisory Group members will investigate each drug selected by the Board and will provide a written report to the Board with their findings as to the drug’s affordability. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. View PDAB Advisory Group Application.
On this page
Stay up to date on what's happening with PDAB.
Overview
PDAB’s mission is to monitor and mitigate unsupported price increases of prescription drugs for Washingtonians.
PDAB is composed of three bodies:
- A board appointed by the Governor, with expertise in health care economics or clinical medicine
- A policy team within HCA tasked with advising and supporting the Governor’s board
- Advisory groups composed of relevant stakeholders from across Washington, including patients, patient advocates, and experts
PDAB was established following passage of SB5532 by the Washington State Legislature in 2022.
Mission
PDAB is a five-member board tasked with the following duties:
- Identify drugs that may be subject to an affordability review
- Conduct affordability reviews on selected eligible drugs
- Determine whether a prescription drug is unaffordable for Washington consumers
- If a drug is found to be unaffordable, the Board may set an upper payment limit.
Policy resources
About PDAB meetings
- PDAB meetings will be held every other month and are open to the public.
- Stakeholders will be allowed three minutes for comments.
- Meetings are sponsored by the Health Care Authority and meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call our ADA Coordinator at 1-855-682-0787 to make a request for special accommodations. TRS users may call this number through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711.
Written testimony
If you would like to give testimony but cannot attend a meeting, email a one-page maximum testimony to HCA PDAB.
Meetings held by webinar
If you would like to speak on any topic listed on the agenda, email HCA PDAB by the Monday before the meeting date with:
- Your name,
- The organization you represent, and
- The topic name on the agenda.
The committee chair will call these names after the topic is presented. You will be unmuted and have three minutes to speak.
If you do not sign up ahead of time but would like to speak at the meeting, the committee chair will ask if there are any other stakeholders. Raise your hand and you will be unmuted when your name is called.
Meetings held at HCA
- View directions to HCA's Cherry Street Plaza.
- Stakeholder sign up sheets for testimony or comment will be available in the lobby.
2024 meeting schedule
See a schedule of PDAB meetings in 2024:
- January 31
- March 20
- May 22
- July 16
- September 18
- November 13
PDAB meetings and materials
Past PDAB meetings
- 2023
-
Date, time, and location Meeting materials December 11, 2023
October 20, 2023
PDAB Advisory Group meetings and materials
| Date, time, and location | Meeting materials |
|---|---|
| December 10, 2024 | |
|
October 8, 2024 |
PDAB Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is nominated for service by the Governor. Four of five members have been appointed.
- MaryAnne Lindeblad
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MaryAnne Lindeblad served as State Medicaid Director from 2012-2021. Her leadership spanned most aspects of health care including acute care, long-term care, behavioral health, oral health, senior care, and services for individuals with disabilities. MaryAnne holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Eastern Washington University.
Career milestones
- Eastern Washington University Chapter of the Upsilon Phi Delta Society
- Distinguished Nurse Influencer at University of Washington
- Randy Revelle Award for behavioral health advocacy
- Chaired executive committee for the National Academy for State Health Policy
- Board of National Association of Medicaid Directors
- Board of the Arcora Foundation
- Board of the Olympia Free Medical Clinic
- Westminster Presbytarian Church's Hope Village committee
- Hung Truong
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Hung Truong is the executive director of Madrona Health, LLC., a joint venture between Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and Confluence Health. He earned his Pharm.D. from Washington State University and MBA from Western Governors University.
Leadership at Virginia Mason Medical Center
- Retail pharmacy division
- Ambulatory pharmacist team
- Drug regulatory compliance
- Self-funded health plan
In 2017, Hung launched the specialty pharmacy program that led to the formation of Madrona Health.
- Dr. Douglas Barthold
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Dr. Douglas Barthold is a health economist and research assistant professor in the Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy.
Career milestones
- Ph.D. in Economics from McGill University with specialization in empirical health economics
- Postdoctoral fellowship at the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California
Dr. Barthold's research includes health policy, chronic disease management, and cognition from mid-life to end of life. He also researches the role of health policies in pharmaceutical management of mid-life risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and the value of care for conditions that influence health aging.
- Eileen Cody
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Eileen Cody worked as a neuro-rehab nurse for Kaiser Permanente (formerly Group Health Cooperative) in Seattle for more than 40 years. She served constituents in the 11th and 34th districts as an elected representative from 1994-2022. Eileen earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from the College of Saint Mary and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Creighton University.
Career milestones
- Washington State House of Representatives, 1994-2022
- Founding member of District 1199 NW/SEIU Hospital and Health Care Employees Union
- Health Care Cost Transparency Board
- Harborview Hospital Board of Trustees
- Greg Gipson
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Greg Gipson has worked at UW Medicine since 2013, initially as a clinical pharmacist caring for critically ill patients with a wide variety of health conditions, and now focusing on drug policy and utilization. His current work aims to improve the use of medications to promote safer, more effective, and cost-conscious practices that result in improved health outcomes across the health system.
Career Milestones
- PharmD degree from the University of California, San Francisco
- Two years of residency (general and critical care) training at UW Medicine
- Post-Graduate Year 1 Pharmacy Program Coordinator, UW Medicine
- Drug Policy and Utilization Pharmacist, UW Medicine