U.S. Senate Bill 2553 - Drug Prices

Article Source: U.S. Senate

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2553 Referred in House (RFH)]

115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2553

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 5, 2018

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to
the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit health plans and pharmacy benefit managers from restricting pharmacies from informing individuals regarding the prices for certain drugs and biologicals.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Know the Lowest Price Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON LIMITING CERTAIN INFORMATION ON DRUG PRICES.

(a) In General.--Section 1860D-4 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-104) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(m) Prohibition on Limiting Certain Information on Drug Prices.--
A PDP sponsor and a Medicare Advantage organization shall ensure that each prescription drug plan or MA-PD plan offered by the sponsor or organization does not restrict a pharmacy that dispenses a prescription
drug or biological from informing, nor penalize such pharmacy for informing, an enrollee in such plan of any differential between the negotiated price of, or copayment or coinsurance for, the drug or biological to the enrollee under the plan and a lower price the individual would pay for the drug or biological if the enrollee
obtained the drug without using any health insurance coverage.''.

(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2020.

Passed the Senate September 4, 2018.

Attest:

JULIE E. ADAMS,

Secretary.

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Robert Riechel

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