Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act of 2021

Summary

Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act of 2021 This bill establishes additional requirements for prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors that use formularies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Specifically, the bill requires PDP formularies to include covered generic drugs and biosimilars for which the wholesale acquisition cost is less than that of the reference (i.e., brand-name) product. PDP sponsors must also establish specific cost-sharing tiers that apply lower cost-sharing requirements for such covered generic drugs and biosimilars as compared to those for brand-name products. The bill also prohibits PDP sponsors from instituting certain requirements relating to access to such covered generic drugs and biosimilars that are more restrictive than those for brand-name products (e.g., prior authorization requirements).

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Timeline

1. 26 April 2021

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

   Source: Committee

2. 26 April 2021

   Introduced

   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.

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 26 April 2021

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 26 April 2021

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

5. 27 April 2021

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 26 April 2021 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 26 April 2021

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 26 April 2021

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 26 April 2021

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• David McKinley · R · Sponsor
• Ann Kuster · D · Sponsor
• Paul Tonko · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] · R · Sponsor
• Karen Bass · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7] · D · Sponsor
• Darren Soto · D · Cosponsor
• Robin Kelly · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] · D · Cosponsor
• Angie Craig · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] · R · Cosponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing
• · hswm00 · Standing

Related records

• related to ← To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require PDP sponsors of a prescription drug plan under part D of the Medicare program that use a formulary to include certain generic drugs and biosimilar biological products on such formulary, and for other purposes.