Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 2554
115th Congress(2017-2018)
Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act
Became Law
Amendments
Became Law
Became Public Law 115-263 on Oct 10, 2018
Overview
Text
Introduced
Mar 14, 2018
Latest Action
Oct 10, 2018
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
2554
Congress
115
Policy Area
Health
Health
Primary focus of measure is science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease; health services administration and funding, including such programs as Medicare and Medicaid; health personnel and medical education; drug use and safety; health care coverage and insurance; health facilities. Measures concerning controlled substances and drug trafficking may fall under Crime and Law Enforcement policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Senate Votes (1)
House Votes (1)
checkPassed on September 17, 2018
Question
On Passage of the Bill
Status
Passed
Type
Roll Call Vote
Roll Call Vote
A vote that records the individual position of each Member who voted. Such votes occurring on the House floor (by the "yeas and nays" or by "recorded vote") are taken by electronic device. The Senate has no electronic voting system; in such votes, Senators answer "yea" or "nay" as the clerk calls each name aloud. Each vote is compiled by clerks and receives a roll call number (referenced in Congress.gov as a "Record Vote" [Senate] or "Roll no." [House]).
Result
Bill Passed
Roll Number
209
Senate Roll Call Votes
Summary

Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a health insurance plan or pharmacy benefits manager from restricting a pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference between the out-of-pocket cost of a drug under the plan and the cost of the drug without health insurance coverage. (Such restrictions are commonly referred to as gag clauses.)

(Sec. 3) The bill also amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to apply certain antitrust filing requirements for generic drug applicants to biosimilar biological product applicants. (Biosimilar biological products, commonly referred to as biosimilars, are biological products approved by the Food and Drug Administration based on their similarity to an already-approved biological product.) Under current law, generic drug applicants that make agreements with brand name drug companies or other generic drug applicants regarding the manufacture, marketing, or sale of their drugs must file such agreements with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. The bill subjects biosimilar biological product applicants to the same filing requirements.

Text (4)
Amendments (1)
Sep 17, 2018
Not Agreed to in Senate
1
Sponsorship
Senate Amendment 4011
To limit application of the gag clause to self-insured group health plans.
Active
Actions (20)
10/10/2018
Became Public Law No: 115-263.
10/10/2018
Signed by President.
10/01/2018
Presented to President.
09/25/2018
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
09/25/2018
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8795-8796)
09/25/2018
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8795-8796)
09/25/2018
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2554.
09/25/2018
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8795-8799)
09/25/2018
Mr. Carter (GA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
09/20/2018
Held at the desk.
09/20/2018
Received in the House.
09/18/2018
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
09/17/2018
Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 98 - 2. Record Vote Number: 209.
09/17/2018
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 98 - 2. Record Vote Number: 209.
09/17/2018
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6179-6180)
07/31/2018
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 549.
07/31/2018
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
07/25/2018
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
03/14/2018
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
03/14/2018
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Mar 22, 2023 7:51:01 PM