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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 3 (117th)

Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

22 April 2021

Last action

27 April 2021 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Sponsors

Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Doyle, Michael F. [D-PA-14], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-9], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Del. Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho [D-MP-At Large], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7], Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Cooper, Jim [D-TN-5], Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2], Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

Subjects

Healthcare, Taxation

Source updated

21 July 2025

Healthcare · Taxation

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act This bill establishes several programs and requirements relating to the prices of prescription drugs. In particular, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices for certain drugs (current law prohibits HHS from doing so). Specifically, HHS must negotiate maximum prices for single-source, brand-name drugs that lack certain generics and that are among either the 125 drugs that account for the greatest national spending or the 125 drugs that account for the greatest Medicare spending. HHS must negotiate the prices of at least 25 such drugs for 2024 and of at least 50 such drugs thereafter and must also negotiate prices for certain newly approved drugs and for insulin products. The negotiated prices must be offered under Medicare and may also be offered under private health insurance unless the insurer opts out. The negotiated maximum price may not exceed (1) 120% of the average price in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom; or (2) if such information is not available, 85% of the U.S. average manufacturer price. Drug manufacturers that fail to comply with the bill's negotiation requirements are subject to civil and tax penalties. The bill also makes a series of additional changes to Medicare prescription drug coverage and pricing, including by (1) requiring drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for covered drugs that cost $100 or more and for which the average manufacturer price increases faster than inflation, and (2) capping annual out-of-pocket spending under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The bill also requires drug manufacturers to report specified information for certain high-cost drugs, and it provides funds for opioid epidemic initiatives and biomedical research.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 22 April 2021

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

    Source: Committee

  2. 22 April 2021

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, and Veterans' Affairs, 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. 22 April 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 22 April 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 23 April 2021

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

    Source: Committee

  6. 27 April 2021

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 22 April 2021

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 22 April 2021

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 22 April 2021

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Sponsors

Showing 48 of 98 sponsors and actors.

Related records

Sources

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