SB875 is a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach) and copatroned with Del. Katrina Callsen (D-Charlottesville), Senator Hackworth (R-Richlands) and Del. Kilgore (R-Wise).

According to the Virginia Mercury (01/08/2025) this bill as been introduced as a "Save Local Pharmacies Act" This bill will reorganize "Virginia's Medicaid pharmacy benefit under a single state-contracted pharmacy benefits manager" as oppose to a national pharmacy benefit manager plan.

Doing so would save the state of Virginia tens of millions of dollars annually. State run pharmacies benefit managed plans have saved Kentucky and West Virginia each nearly $50 million dollars over 8 years. It is estimated that Virginia alone could save $39 million dollar annually.

This bill will enable local pharmacies through a state run system to negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies and not a national conglomerate where there is little room for bargaining. A state run system will help local pharmacies survive in places where there are health care desserts.

Places where health care facilities are lacking, local pharmacies are the places where people go for paramedical advice to supplement the work of the highly trained medical professionals that are not available in their locality.