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HR 5234 111th Congress House

PBM Audit Reform and Transparency Act of 2010

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and title XVIII of the Social Security … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure transparency and proper operation of pharmacy benefit managers.

Introduced: June 24, 2010 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative remediesBusiness ethicsContracts and agencyEmployee benefits and pensions
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Health care costs and insuranceMedicarePrescription drugs
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) 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 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 27, 2010
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
May 10, 2010
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 6, 2010
Referred to House Education and Labor
May 6, 2010
Referred to House Ways and Means
May 6, 2010
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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.
May 6, 2010
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
May 6, 2010
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 27, 2010

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

PBM Audit Reform and Transparency Act of 2010 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, and part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit a group health plan from entering into a contract with any pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) to manage the prescription drug coverage provided under the plan, or to control the costs of such coverage, unless the PBM satisfies the following requirements.

Requires the PBM to report at least annually to each plan, including regarding the PBM's payments to pharmacies, payments received by the PBM from plans and drug manufacturers, and information on generic drugs.

Sets forth provisions governing the interaction between a PBM and pharmacies that contract with the PBM, including: (1) requiring the PBM to disclose reimbursement information; (2) requiring prompt payment for clean claims; (3) prohibiting the exclusion of qualified pharmacies from participation in a network; and (4) requiring a pharmacy owner to sign a contract with a PBM before assuming responsibility to participate in a network managed by the PBM.

Prohibits a PBM from requiring or offering incentives to a beneficiary to fill a prescription at a pharmacy that the PBM has an ownership interest in or at a pharmacy with an ownership interest in the PBM.

Sets forth requirements for PBM audits of a contract pharmacy, including requirements for prior written notice and an appeals process.

Establishes limitations on a PBM seeking to sell, lease, or rent utilization or claims data that a PBM possesses as a result of a contract with a health plan, including requiring a PBM to: (1) provide prior notification of, and receive written approval from, the plan; and (2) provide an opportunity for covered individuals to opt-out of a sale, leasing, or renting of data related to such individual. Prohibits a PBM from directly contacting a covered individual without express written permission of the plan and the individual. Limits data sharing with PBM-owned pharmacies or pharmacies with ownership interests in the PBM.

Applies the provisions of this Act to health insurance coverage offered in the individual market.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5234: PBM Audit Reform and Transparency Act of 2010. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-5234/
MLA
"H.R. 5234: PBM Audit Reform and Transparency Act of 2010." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-5234/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5234, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-5234/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5234: PBM Audit Reform and Transparency Act of 2010](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-5234/)
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