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HR 4946 116th Congress House Health Health care costs and insurance Health care coverage and access Medicare Prescription drugs Retail and wholesale trades Rural conditions and development

Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019

Introduced: October 31, 2019 Introduced by: Welch, Peter Democratic · Vermont See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 1, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Oct 31, 2019
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.
Oct 31, 2019
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019

This bill establishes several requirements for prescription drug plans under the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Specifically, the bill requires prescription drug plans to allow any pharmacy located in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area to be included as an in-network pharmacy if the plan already has other in-network pharmacies in the same area.

The bill also establishes certain standards for prescription drug plans regarding pharmacy reimbursements and related disclosures. Among other things, the bill prohibits prescription drug plans from reimbursing a pharmacy in an amount that is less than the amount the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) reimburses an affiliated pharmacy (i.e., a pharmacy that has a shared ownership interest with the PBM) for the same services.

What's happening now November 1, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 9
All 9 Democratic 1 Republican 8