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HR 4946 116th Congress House

Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure equal access of Medicare beneficiaries to community pharmacies in underserved areas as network pharma… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure equal access of Medicare beneficiaries to community pharmacies in underserved areas as network pharmacies under Medicare prescription drug coverage, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 1, 2020 Introduced by: Welch, Peter Democratic · Vermont See on congress.gov
Health Health care costs and insuranceHealth care coverage and accessMedicarePrescription drugs
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Retail and wholesale tradesRural conditions and development
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) 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
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
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 Latest action November 1, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 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.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 13
All 13 Democratic 1 Republican 8
R
Marshall, Roger
Kansas · Sep 1, 2020
 R
Hill, J. French
Arkansas · Jan 16, 2020
Byrne, Bradley
· Nov 22, 2019
 R
Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck"
Tennessee · Nov 14, 2019
 R
Allen, Rick W.
Georgia · Oct 31, 2019
 R
Carter, Earl L. "Buddy"
Georgia · Oct 31, 2019
 R
Crawford, Eric A. "Rick"
Arkansas · Oct 31, 2019
 D
Gonzalez, Vicente
Texas · Oct 31, 2019
 R
Griffith, H. Morgan
Virginia · Oct 31, 2019
Loebsack, David
· Oct 31, 2019
PETERSON, COLLIN
· Oct 31, 2019
Roe, David
· Oct 31, 2019
 R
Westerman, Bruce
Arkansas · Oct 31, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4946: Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4946/
MLA
"H.R. 4946: Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4946/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4946, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4946/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4946: Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4946/)
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