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HR 1188 113th Congress House

Preserving Our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act of 2013

Official title: To ensure and foster continued safety and quality of care and a competitive marketplace by exempting independent pharmacies from the antitrust laws in their ne… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To ensure and foster continued safety and quality of care and a competitive marketplace by exempting independent pharmacies from the antitrust laws in their negotiations with health plans and health insurance insurers.

Introduced: March 14, 2013 See on congress.gov
Health Competition and antitrustCongressional oversightContracts and agencyDrug therapy
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Government studies and investigationsHealth care costs and insuranceHealth facilities and institutionsPrescription drugsRetail and wholesale trades
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 15, 2013
Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
Mar 14, 2013
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 14, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 15, 2013

Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Preserving Our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act of 2013 - Treats independent pharmacies negotiating contract terms with a health plan for the provision of health care items or services, but only in connection with such negotiations, the same under the antitrust laws as an employee engaged in concerted activities, and not as an employer, independent contractor, managerial employee, or supervisor.

Exempts actions taken in good faith reliance on this Act from being subject to criminal sanctions or civil penalties beyond actual damages incurred.

Declares that this Act does not exempt from application of antitrust laws any agreement or unlawful conspiracy that: (1) would have the effect of boycotting any independent pharmacy; (2) would exclude, limit the participation or reimbursement of, or otherwise limit the scope of services to be provided by any independent pharmacy or group of independent pharmacies with respect to the performance of services within their scope of practice as defined or permitted by relevant law or regulation; (3) allocates a market among competitors; (4) unlawfully ties the sale or purchase of one product or service to the sale or purchase of another product or service; or (5) monopolizes or attempts to monopolize a market.

Makes this Act inapplicable to negotiations between pharmacies and health plans regarding benefits provided under specified federal programs, including Medicaid, veterans' medical care, and the federal employees' health benefits program.

Requires the Comptroller General to study the impact of this Act after five years.

States that this Act does not preclude the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) from overseeing the conduct of independent pharmacies covered under this Act.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1188: Preserving Our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act of 2013. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-1188/
MLA
"H.R. 1188: Preserving Our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act of 2013." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-1188/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1188, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-1188/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1188: Preserving Our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act of 2013](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-1188/)
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