Medical - Sovereign States Drug Consortium (DHHS)

The North Dakota Medical - Sovereign States Drug Consortium (SSDC) is a multi-state collaborative procurement vehicle designed to negotiate and acquire pharmaceutical products and supplemental drug rebates for Medicaid programs. The consortium enables participating states to leverage collective purchasing power to secure competitive pricing and terms for prescription drugs, with a focus on obtaining lower-cost medications for Medicaid beneficiaries. Through this vehicle, states can access negotiated rebates from drug manufacturers while maintaining individual control over their pharmacy benefit programs, Preferred Drug Lists, and Prior Approval processes.

The contract is administered by the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) and includes participation from multiple states such as Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The current contract period runs from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, with Change Healthcare Pharmacy Solutions serving as the primary vendor for rebate collective services. Member states share equally in the costs of collective and support services, and the vehicle allows for independent negotiation of value-based agreements and high-cost cell and gene therapies while providing a collaborative framework for pharmaceutical procurement.