Bill · S. 229· Senate(119-S-229)
DTC Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/23/2025
- Last activity
- 1/23/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S337-338; Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S337)
- Sponsored by
- Richard Durbin
- Cosponsors
- - 4 - 4
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Drug-price Transparency for Consumers Act of 2025," seeks to amend the Social Security Act regarding prescription drug advertising. It requires direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products to include specific pricing disclosures. These disclosures must include the wholesale acquisition cost for a 30-day supply or a typical course of treatment. The mandate applies to products for which payment is available under Medicare or Medicaid, provided the cost is not less than $35. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is tasked with creating regulations for how this information is presented in various media.
Yes· 3 of 9
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+5
The bill enhances consumer protection by requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to disclose the wholesale acquisition cost in advertisements.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The bill increases transparency by requiring drug manufacturers to include price information in advertisements.
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+4
The bill provides more pricing transparency for Medicare beneficiaries, helping them understand drug costs.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Financial Decision Making: Providing the wholesale acquisition cost can help consumers understand if they can afford a course of therapy before they start it (Section 2(b)(3)).
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Better Approximation of Out-of-Pocket Costs: Learning the wholesale acquisition cost helps consumers better approximate what they might actually pay out-of-pocket (Section 2(a)(11)).
-
Increased Competition and Choice: Greater price transparency may allow consumers to select lesser-cost alternatives, which helps provide adequate competition in the market (Section 2(b)(5)).
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Efficient Market Behavior: Providing price information allows for price shopping, which is described as a mark of rational economic behavior that helps markets operate more efficiently (Section 2(b)(4)).
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Reduction in Wasteful Spending: Transparency is intended to help mitigate wasteful expenditures and slow the growth of Federal spending on prescription drugs by promoting efficient administration of the Medicare program (Section 2(b)(8)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Exemption for Lower-Cost Drugs: The requirement to disclose pricing information does not apply to prescription drugs or biological products where the wholesale acquisition cost for a 30-day supply (or typical course of treatment) is less than $35 (Section 3(a)(2)).
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+4Good For Seniors+4Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Middle Class Households+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+5Reduces Government Spending+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5Increases Federal Power+2
- Healthcare
- Reduces Prescription Drug Costs+4
- 1/28/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/23/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S337-338; Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S337)
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Joni ErnstRepublican · Iowa
Chuck GrassleyRepublican · Iowa
Cindy Hyde-SmithRepublican · Mississippi
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont