Bill · H.R. 950· House(119-HR-950)
Saving Seniors Money on Prescriptions Act
- Introduced
- 2/4/2025
- Last activity
- 2/4/2025 — 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.
- Sponsored by
- Greg Landsman
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Saving Seniors Money on Prescriptions Act" aims to amend the Social Security Act to establish new reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers. These requirements apply to prescription drug plans and MA-PD plans under Medicare Part D starting January 1, 2028. The bill mandates transparency regarding how terms like "rebate" and "specialty drug" are used for pricing guarantees. It also requires pharmacy benefit managers to provide detailed annual reports to plan sponsors and the Secretary. Additionally, the bill establishes audit rights for plan sponsors and requires a GAO study on reporting requirements.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+6
The bill aims to save seniors money on prescriptions through increased pharmacy benefit manager transparency.
Would retired people be better off under this?+6
The bill directly targets the reduction of prescription drug costs for retirees on Medicare Part D plans.
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+6
The bill increases transparency in pharmacy benefit manager pricing and rebate practices to protect consumers.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency of Drug Costs: Pharmacy benefit managers must define and apply terms such as "generic drug," "brand name drug," "specialty drug," "rebate," and "discount" in a transparent and consistent manner when evaluating performance against pricing guarantees. (Section 2(a)(1)(A)(i))
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Detailed Drug and Spending Data: The bill requires reports that include specific data on drugs covered, such as the number of enrollees, total claims, average wholesale price, and total out-of-pocket spending by enrollees. (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i)(I))
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Insight into Manufacturer Revenue and Rebates: The reporting requirements include the total rebates paid by manufacturers and any other direct or indirect remuneration on the drug. (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i)(I)(gg-hh))
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Visibility into Affiliate-Related Costs: For pharmacy benefit managers with pharmacy affiliates, the bill requires reporting the percentage of prescriptions dispensed by those affiliates and the costs associated with them. (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i)(II))
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Comparison of Generic and Biosimilar Coverage: The bill requires reports comparing the coverage of "listed drugs" and "reference products" against the coverage of currently marketed generic drugs or biosimilars, including a written justification for more favorable coverage of the former. (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i)(III) and (IV))
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Accountability through Audits: Plan sponsors are granted the right to conduct annual audits of pharmacy benefit managers to ensure compliance with contracts and accuracy of reports. (Section 2(a)(1)(C)(i))
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Administrative Burden and Resource Requirements: The bill calls for a GAO study to specifically analyze the "resources required by health plans and pharmacy benefit managers to comply with the reporting requirements." (Section 2(b)(1)(D))
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Complexity of Compliance: The mandated reports require a massive amount of granular data, including specific National Drug Codes, dispensing channels, and interquartile ranges for various cost metrics, which may increase the complexity of operations. (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(i))
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Retirees+6Good For Seniors+6Good For Low Income Households+4
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+6
- Healthcare
- Reduces Prescription Drug Costs+5Increases Medicare Funding+1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Social Security+3
- 1/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/4/2025
- 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.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Diana HarshbargerRepublican · Tennessee
Thomas SuozziDemocrat · New York