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Politiparty

118th Congress Health

S. 127: Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act of 2023

ReportedDec 13, 2023

  1. Introduced (completed)Jan 26, 2023
  2. Passed Senate (not reached)
  3. Passed House (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in Senate, Jan 26, 2023

This bill generally prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from engaging in certain practices when managing the prescription drug benefits under a health insurance plan, including charging the plan a different amount than the PBM reimburses the pharmacy.

The bill also prohibits PBMs from arbitrarily, unfairly, or deceptively (1) clawing back reimbursement payments, or (2) increasing fees or lowering reimbursements to pharmacies to offset changes to federally funded health plans.

PBMs are not subject to these prohibitions if they (1) pass along 100% of any price concession or discount to the health plan, and (2) disclose specified costs, prices, reimbursements, fees, markups, discounts, and aggregate payments received with respect to their PBM services.

Read the full summary

Further, PBMs must report annually to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) certain information about payments received from health plans and fees charged to pharmacies.

The FTC and state attorneys general are authorized to enforce the provisions of the bill.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

14

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

26 points earned
  1. 1Maria Cantwell D-WA SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced, reported3 events+26
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Maria Cantwell

History

  1. Jan 26, 2023Introduced in the Senate by Maria Cantwell.
Show the full action history (5 actions)
  1. Dec 13, 2023Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  2. Dec 13, 2023Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 283.
  3. Mar 22, 2023Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  4. Jan 26, 2023Introduced in Senate
  5. Jan 26, 2023Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.