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HR 4646 105th Congress House Health Commerce Congress Congressional reporting requirements Drug industry Drugs Drugstores Hospices (Terminal care) Medicare Prescription pricing Price discrimination Social Welfare

To provide for substantial reductions in the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.

Introduced: September 26, 1998 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 30, 1998
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Sep 29, 1998
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H9183-9184)
Sep 26, 1998
Referred to House Ways and Means
Sep 26, 1998
Referred to the Committee on 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.
Sep 26, 1998
Referred to House Commerce
Sep 26, 1998
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Prescription Drug Fairness Act - Allows any qualified pharmacy to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enable the pharmacy to sell covered outpatient drugs to Medicare beneficiaries (under title XVIII of the Social Security Act) at a reduced price.

Requires such an agreement to: (1) entitle the participating pharmacy to purchase any covered outpatient drug listed on the Federal Supply Schedule of the General Services Administration at the participating pharmacy discount price for that drug; and (2) permit the participating pharmacy to purchase under this Act as much of a covered outpatient drug as it sells to Medicare beneficiaries. Sets forth guidelines for determining the participating pharmacy discount price and a special rule for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a hospice program.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) administer this Act in a manner that uses existing methods of obtaining and distributing drugs to the maximum extent possible, consistent with efficiency and cost effectiveness; and (2) report to the Congress annually regarding the effectiveness of this Act in protecting Medicare beneficiaries from discriminatory pricing by drug manufacturers, along with any appropriate legislative recommendations to further reduce the cost of covered outpatient drugs to such beneficiaries.

What's happening now September 30, 1998

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4646: To provide for substantial reductions in the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4646/
MLA
"H.R. 4646: To provide for substantial reductions in the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4646/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4646, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4646/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4646: To provide for substantial reductions in the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4646/)
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