Insurance committee approves Stelara biosimilar for group health plan, effective Jan. 1, 2026

The Bossier Parish insurance committee approved adding a Stelara biosimilar to the group health plan, and staff said the change is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.

Nisha Bamberg, chief financial officer, told the committee the plan recorded 26 Stelara prescriptions in the 2024–25 plan year and that the plan paid about $542,000 for those fills. "Using that same number of 26 prescriptions, we're estimating about a $210,000 savings to the plan, for a plan year," Bamberg said.

Bamberg described the proposed change as similar to a recent conversion to a Humira biosimilar and said biosimilars should provide the same clinical effect while lowering drug costs for the employer-sponsored plan. Committee discussion focused on cost savings and continuity of care for members who use specialty biologic treatments.

A motion to approve the biosimilar was made and seconded; the committee approved the switch by voice vote and the committee record notes the effective date as Jan. 1, 2026. The motion was recorded as "motion by Ms. Smith" and "second by Mr. Jordan." The record does not include a roll-call tally.

The committee did not record additional implementation details in the discussion; staff will carry out plan administration changes to reflect the Jan. 1 effective date.