Skip to main content
HR 1243 108th Congress House

Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 2003

Official title: To assure equitable treatment in health care coverage of prescription drugs under group health plans, health insurance coverage, Medicare and Medicaid managed … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To assure equitable treatment in health care coverage of prescription drugs under group health plans, health insurance coverage, Medicare and Medicaid managed care arrangements, Medigap insurance coverage, and health plans under the Federal employees' health benefits program (FEHBP).

Introduced: June 3, 2003 See on congress.gov
Health Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCoinsuranceCollective bargainingCommerce
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Consumer educationDiscrimination in insuranceDiscrimination in medical careDrugsEmployee health benefitsFederal employeesFinance and Financial SectorGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment employees' health insuranceHealth insuranceHealth maintenance organizationsInsurance companiesLabor and EmploymentMail-order businessManaged careMedicaidMedicareMedigapPharmaciesSocial WelfareWelfare waivers
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) 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
Apr 7, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Mar 25, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 25, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization.
Mar 24, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 12, 2003
Introduced in House
Mar 12, 2003
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, and Government Reform, 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.
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action April 7, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act (regarding group health plans, health insurance issuers offering group insurance, and health insurance offered in the individual market), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) (regarding group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group insurance), the Internal Revenue Code (regarding group health plans), title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) (regarding Medicare+Choice plans, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), competitive medical plans, Medicare supplemental health insurance policies (Medigap), and Medicare select policies), SSA title XIX (Medicaid) (regarding State plans), and provisions of the U.S. Code relating to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (regarding contracting with carriers offering health benefits plans) to require that, if mail-order prescription drug coverage is provided, non-mail-order prescription drug coverage must also be provided.
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 8
 Cosponsors 6
All 6 Democratic 4 Independent 1
D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Jun 3, 2003
FROST, MARTIN
· May 21, 2003
 D
Meeks, Gregory W.
New York · May 21, 2003
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Mar 12, 2003
 D
Pallone, Frank
New Jersey · Mar 12, 2003
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Mar 12, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1243: Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1243/
MLA
"H.R. 1243: Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1243/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1243, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1243/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1243: Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-1243/)
Report a problem